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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22489600">Aperture - Agreste: Miraculous Testing Initiative</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/HakoX2/pseuds/HakoX2'>HakoX2</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Miraculous Ladybug, Portal (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fusion, Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, Canon Related, Crossover, Crossovers &amp; Fandom Fusions, F/M, Fanfiction, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Psychological Drama, Science Fiction &amp; Fantasy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-01-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 07:41:46</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>19,809</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22489600</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/HakoX2/pseuds/HakoX2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Marinette Dupain-Cheng wakes up from suspension in an abandoned 'Science Enrichment Center' advanced way beyond its time. She's not alone - a boy named Adrien finds himself in the same situation, while the facility's AI overseer Papillon bears unknown, malicious intentions.</p><p>With the Agreste Laboratories Heroic Transfiguration Devices, Miraculouses dubiously enhanced with technology and safety malpractices, Papillon's latest test subjects are forced to solve deadly logical puzzles on end. Colourful villains also stand in their way. Each one is designed to restore a piece of their erased memories, while being capable of killing them in the most gruesome ways possible.</p><p>To escape Papillon's clutches, the two superheroes must think with portals to save the day.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. APERTURE INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY - The Miraculous</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>[Cave Johnson here. At Aperture, we know that there’s a fine line that exists between science and fantasy. 

</p><p>[Then we took that line. Reshaped it with panels, crushed it, filled it with bullets- still, we couldn’t get it thin enough. But with just a little more elbow grease, we've finally found the solution to our line-induced bankruptcy. The borders of real and unreal are now thinner than how close we were to firing the guys who called our latest project a bunch of juvenile, ‘play-pretend’ bullcrap. We fired them.]</p><p>[Gentlemen, I introduce to you the Miraculous! Two of ‘em, that is. Existed for thousands of years in obscurity - obscurity being hanging off the side of some mountain range in China - and about to advance science thousands of years ahead under the Aperture brand!]</p><p>[Here’s the rundown. The peacock one creates monsters from feelings or something. But we are scientists, and emotion has no place in science! Those more interested in using repressed memories of 'Nam for world domination will be issued a mandatory therapist appointment on their way out.]</p><p>[Now, the Moth one - creates superheroes. Literally. Simple as that, and they’ve blasted imminent threats to humanity out of the park throughout history. Well done, Miraculouses. Only problem is, they <i>are</i> inhabited by sentient creatures, resulting in a few creative differences between our team and said creatures. But lab boys took care of it, and now we have an entire childhood superhero dream in the palm of your hand. Imagine that.]</p><p>[Once we’ve chucked a superpower at you, and you’ve got your hilariously designed suit, weapon and an indeterminate ability to feel no pain whatsoever, you’ve got 4 walls, a door, and 10 minutes before all of that fancy stuff is gone. Along with you. Too bad, kid, only villain’s the clock this time.]</p><p>[Cave Johnson, we’re done here.]</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The Future Starts With You</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>“Good Morning.”.</b>
</p><p>The light that filled Marinette’s eyes was not the one she had awaited each morning. Filtering in through the curtains was something concentrated and artificial; telling enough that she had not woken up in her bedroom.</p><p>“Where…”. With a groan, the high-school age girl’s heavy head drifted off towards the windows. The light seared the blurriness off of her vision, and obscured it with an unbearable white flash. She instantly retracted back into the queen-sized blanket on the bed she found herself tucked into. In the darkness around her, she blinked once, then twice - that was all it took for her to fully realise that this was all very, very wrong.</p><p>The blanket was tossed aside in a frenzy as Marinette rose again with a look of sheer confusion and horror.</p><p>
  <b>“You have been in suspension for-”.</b>
</p><p>Once again, the automated male voice had disrupted her erratic train of thought, only to be drowned in discordant static. </p><p>
  <b>“...days.”.</b>
</p><p>“Where… am I?”. Marinette glanced fretfully along the sepia walls. The eerily human-like voice echoing through the speakers didn’t answer any of her questions, and she was desperate to find anything that could.<br/>
The girl took another look around the room. It resembled that of a cozy motel, the painted silhouettes of palm trees on the wall in front of her exuding a sense of calm. But of course, any sense of comfort that could’ve been drawn from her surroundings was forfeit, given that she wasn’t brought here out of her own will.</p><p>“Hello?”. She called out. “Is anyone there?”.</p><p>She buried her hands in her face. The few horror movies she had dared to watch always began like this, and didn’t end well. Her thoughts raced to her parents and friends. What if this was a kidnapping? And if it was, where were her captors? </p><p>Where was anyone, for the matter?</p><p>The pillow dangling over the edge of the mattress had fallen to the ground. It distracted her from the less important details- a lone chair, wilted plant and assorted vintage furniture- and drew her attention towards the wardrobe to her left.</p><p>
  <b>“Your stay in the Agreste Laboratories Extended Relaxation Centre ends here, and your journey towards the future of science shall thus begin.”.</b>
</p><p>Her fingers curled around the edge of the sliding wooden door, still deciphering the cryptic name in her head. For some inexplicable reason, the name ‘Agreste’ sounded oddly familiar. Not to mention the lingering feeling of dread that had been amplified within the tangled recesses of her mind. ‘Suspended’ for an unknown number of days, ‘Extended Relaxation’... The Science Fiction-like jargon suggested that she hadn’t been staying here for just one night. </p><p>Marinette shut her pale blue eyes tightly, and adamantly shook the thought out of her head. “No, That can’t be possible.”.</p><p>A look of paranoid dismay was etched into her face by the surprising lack of valuables, save for a bright orange jumpsuit.</p><p>It was paired with a white tank top printed with a company name and logo, a circular Aperture with a minimalist purple butterfly trapped in the middle. Thin white boots with slender black braces slumped against the corner.</p><p>“This has to be some mistake.”.</p><p>
  <b>“All candidates are required to wear the provided Test Gear at all times throughout the Enrichment Centre.”.</b>
</p><p>Marinette spared a few seconds to scrutinise the battered outfit and express her inherent disapproval. She was a blossoming fashion designer; though ‘blossoming’ usually translated to amateur and unrecognised, she didn’t see herself as any less of one. This mild but incorrigible reflex of hers drew the aspiring youth away from her problems at hand.</p><p>
  <b>“Fortunately, objections to the design of the Test Gear do not compromise its functionality. Objections to wearing the test gear as a result, however, have been proven to greatly compromise the functionality of subjects’ arms, legs, and spines. The Enrichment Centre acknowledges this, and urges you to disregard your fashion sense for a more conducive environment for science.”.</b>
</p><p>She shuddered, and went back to thinking.</p><p>“The future of science…”. Marinette deliberated, pacing rapidly over the soft green carpet. “I don’t get it. What would I be doing in a place like this? Mom and Dad, they must be so worried right now...”.</p><p>“Well,”. She laughed nervously, scratching her head. She chanced upon a comb and two hair ties, perhaps the only recognisable things within miles, and began fixing the messy blue tendrils snaking down her shoulders.</p><p>“At least the more time I spend here, the less time I’ll have to be with Chloe in case she’s in my class agai- ”.</p><p>Marinette froze, running circles over her own words. Class. The most crucial event had only factored into the endless stream of burning questions that had yet to be answered. Her head slowly tilted, then darted frantically around the room searching for any indication of the time. </p><p>“Oh no. I’m going to be late! And on my first day back, too...”.</p><p>“Help!”. Only now did it occur to her that she could attempt heading straight for the door.</p><p>“Help me!”. The unsurprisingly locked door trembled violently as paranoia consumed Marinette. She could hardly think straight- the weight of her own situation had come crashing down onto her.</p><p>
  <b>“Kindly wait for an associate core who will attend to your chamber shortly.”.</b>
</p><p>“Somebody, help me-!”.</p><p>A sudden release of the lock sent Marinette flying back towards the bed. A dull pain echoed through her head as she got back on her feet, wondering to herself if things could be any more unfortunate than they were as of now.</p><p>She found herself to be right upon greeting her visitor with an astonished shriek, and scuttling away on all fours. </p><p>“AAH!”. Her eyes widened at what she refused to believe she saw: a white, spherical robot, enthusiasm expressed almost too clearly in its large, central eye.</p><p>“It’s a giant eye! A- A ball! A giant… eyeball!?”.</p><p>“Everything’s okay! Don’t be scared!”. A high-pitched female voice echoed from the metallic construct as it floated gracefully from its management rail. It waved the handlebars located above and below its flickering eye in a failed attempt to reassure the new test subject.</p><p>“AAH! It…  It talks!”. An arm felt around for anything around or behind her. The girl’s unexpected visitor effortlessly dodged the pillow she had launched out of self defense. “What do you want from me!?”.</p><p>“Please, just relax! You’re safe here, I promise.”. The core’s singular red optic was covered in symmetrical arrays of black spots. It narrowed and widened expressively while it analysed the new testing candidate. “Is this your first time seeing a personality core?”. </p><p>Marinette watched it glide into the room, along the wide black scaffolding affixed to the ceiling. “It’s my first time even knowing that this place exists at all!”. She retorted, taking the core aback. </p><p>“Extended Relaxation? Test Subjects!? What kind of crazy place is this!? And how do I get back home before I’m late for school!?”.</p><p>“Though I bet I’m late already…”. Unbeknownst to her, its half-closed eye began tilting towards the ground, unable to bear watching her struggle. </p><p>“So…”. However, it picked itself up shortly after. “So you haven’t heard of one after all… that’s okay! Marinette, I know everything might seem a bit strange to you - ”.</p><p>“It is!”. An exasperated scowl formed on Marinette’s face. “I mean, as far as being <em>kidnapped</em>, and waking up in some place that sounds like it wants to kill me does!”.</p><p>She stopped herself, and gave the core a look of astonishment. “Wait, how do you know my name?”.</p><p>“All Associate Cores are provided with a full list of Test Subjects to be - ”.</p><p>“Please,”. To the Core’s surprise, Marinette placed both her hands firmly on its hollow sides.</p><p>“This really, really has to be some mistake. I’m not one of those test subjects - I could never do any of the dangerous, spine-breaking stuff they probably want me to do. I’m kind of the clumsiest person I know, so I think I just wanna go home now, uhh...”.</p><p>“Tikki.”. It replied. “I’m an Agreste Artificial Personality Construct, or Personality Core for short. I’m the Guardian Core who manages the use of-”.</p><p>“Tikki, please just tell me how to go back.”.</p><p>Tikki’s spherical body hung loosely towards the ground. Only a sliver of red light was emitted from beneath her eyelids, threatening to shut; as if she too was on the verge of breaking down. If only she could.</p><p>“I’m sorry, Marinette.”. Her dejected voice had somehow calmed the girl down, if only by a little. “But I’m afraid this isn’t a mistake.”.</p><p>“But I-”.</p><p>“You were chosen.”. Tikki explained. Somehow, Marinette got the feeling that she was waiting to do so from the start. </p><p>“This facility is in trouble. You’re the only one who can stop - ”.</p><p>
  <b>“A valid response has been delayed for &lt;15&gt; minutes. Associate Core, please proceed to transfer the Relaxation Chamber to the docking station as quickly as possible, such that testing may begin.”.</b>
</p><p>Tikki’s metallic body trembled as if to flinch, while her optic darted in all directions. “Oh! uh... Sorry, Marinette, but I think we need to move to the testing track about now!”.</p><p>“Hey, wait!”, The blue-haired girl protested, helplessly observing as the Core travelled towards the end of the rail, where an almost invisible panel had retracted into the ceiling. </p><p>“Are you even listening to me?”.</p><p>“And... one more thing.”. Although it had been a mandatory question for as long as she had been activated, Tikki had always found the words hard to spell out.</p><p>She stopped halfway along the rail. “Does your head feel funny anywhere?”.</p><p>Marinette paused. “Why would it?”.</p><p>“Well, you <em>have</em> been speaking to me like normal for the past 15 minutes and 40 seconds…”. Tikki slid back up the rail after hearing her response. </p><p>“Which means you’re fine! Hold on tight, okay?”. Her sweet, simulated voice echoed from behind the panel, which had retracted seamlessly into the plaster ceiling above. </p><p>“Tikki, wait!”. Marinette stepped onto the bed and reached for the panel, frowning with the lack of response. </p><p>“What do you mean by hold on - woaah!”.</p><p>The slight vibration coursing through the mattress beneath her feet emerged as a series of intermittent and terrible tremors. Treading on the wrong edge of the blanket, which had already been sent flying off the corner of the unstable bed, Marinette landed flat on her face.</p><p>The reason for the alarming flurry of objects wasn’t a sudden earthquake. It was the room itself, moving along with them.</p><p>“Is everything okay down there?”. The turbulence came to a sudden halt, with the  ground creaking and hovering as if it were a ship at sea. </p><p>The girl clutched the side of an upturned desk for dear life.</p><p>“Since I’m not very familiar with this interface, things might get a bit… rocky. So do make sure to hold onto something!”.</p><p>“Tikki, wait!”. Marinette screamed into the panel at the top of her voice. “Why is everything shaking!?”.</p><p>“I think it would be better if you saw for yourself.”. The Core’s voice was barely audible when the same deafening rumble filled her ears again. “After all, if I don’t concentrate, you’ll be in danger!”.</p><p>She scrambled towards the windowsill, and peered directly through the light which had cleared to present to her an unexpected, downright petrifying view. Towering blocks made of the same fragile steel, of which she could only assume to be other Relaxation Chambers like hers. Stretching for miles from the recesses of the murky abyss below and rising to infinity. She spun around, back craned against the wall. Clinging onto the windowsill, Marinette dared not open her eyes again despite Tikki having gained better control, and the room no longer trembling under its own weight.</p><p>The agonising whine of the Chamber’s metal scaffolding indicated that they had reached their destination. The blue-haired girl opened her eyes, to find that massive chunks of the wall had crumbled off around the wreckage of the room. She grimaced and stood up to dust the drywall off of her pyjamas.</p><p>“Whew! That was close!”. Tikki seemed relieved for a reason beyond her comprehension - Marinette found that no part of the room’s current state had deserved that statement at all.</p><p>“Marinette,”. The panels opened back up, and she swerved back into the room. “Are you hurt? Is everything alri- oh.”.</p><p>Her shaky laughter did nothing to soothe the tension between them. “ Well... I guess there’s a first time for everything, then!”. </p><p>“That explains a lot- ow!”. Marinette was busy picking off the rest of the white particles from her hair. Through the crevices snaking their way through the remains of the motel walls, she could make out extensive arrays of solitary glass cubicles, where not a single soul lay in sight.</p><p>“Anyway, is that door over there the exit?”. Through the class walls could she make out a circular door, a segment of which was dark blue and possessed a decal of a running, bright blue icon of a man.</p><p>“Because I could really use one about, say, right now.”.</p><p>“Now, where was I?”. Tikki casually ignored her. </p><p>“As you know, I’m the Guardian Core of one of the Agreste Laboratories Heroic Transfiguration Device, also known as the ‘Miraculouses’!”.</p><p>“I don’t get it.”. Marinette replied, still trying to shake off the last five minutes. Imagining people packaged in those tiny rooms and delivered to fulfil these ‘tests’ was hard enough. </p><p>She couldn’t comprehend what life would’ve been like - not to mention those who didn’t choose to be part of this facility’s grand plan, like her. Even more nightmarish was solving the mystery of whether they were still there, silently watching and waiting. </p><p>“How is ‘Agreste Laboratories Heroic-whatever it is’ related to ‘Miraculous’? And these glass chambers, all those containers I saw just now, full of people - what does this insane place even do? I don’t get that either...”.</p><p>“Agreste Laboratories was built after the fall of its predecessor, Aperture Laboratories, by a key investor. It’s a facility devoted to analysing the cognitive abilities of candidates, as they solve a gauntlet of puzzles using the latest advancements in science. We call this ‘testing’, which you, and only you can do to save us all!”. </p><p>“Huh?”. Marinette’s face scrunched up in confusion. “Sorry, didn’t quite catch that.”.</p><p>“Agreste Laboratories was built after - ”.</p><p>“I mean,”. She stopped the core before it could repeat itself like an answering machine. “Not the testing part. That seems pretty cool and all, but I wouldn’t consider myself the smart kind, either. Since I’m usually daydreaming, or working on my designs in class - you get the idea.”.</p><p>“You are smart, Marinette.”. Tikki raised her handlebars for emphasis. “Trust me, I don’t just think you can do this - I know you can. But you were saying?”.</p><p>“It’s the ‘saving’ part that’s a little odd.”. The girl continued. “The technical stuff’s one thing, but saving the facility? From who? I have no idea how most of this works, or how any of this works! Much less, will I even be capable of doing it…”.</p><p>Marinette hung her head. “That’s also another thing entirely.”. </p><p>“Marinette…”.</p><p>
  <b>“Relaxation Chamber docked safely. Test Subject, please disembark from the Chamber and proceed to the testing track.”.</b>
</p><p>The two watched as the door swung open on its own, leading to a barren grey wall. The blue-haired girl dashed towards it to inspect it further, before being stopped by Tikki who had instructed her to wait. </p><p>“It’s not safe in the Test Chambers without your test gear!”. Her body swerved within inches of the girl’s face. “And I haven’t finished explaining - ”.</p><p>“I’m not going to ‘test’.”. She strode almost too confidently towards the panel. “I’m finding the exit, and getting out of here - oh, and I’ll get someone else to help you. Don’t worry.”.</p><p>Her hands did nothing to pry it open, after refusing to open automatically like the previous one. Marinette raised an eyebrow. </p><p>“Wait, isn’t this just a wall?”. </p><p>The moment her words left her lips, she stumbled over her own bare feet. The wall around her hand had been completely erased. As unbelievable as it was- well, as it could be, as she had already witnessed one too many unfathomable things since waking up from an entirely different bed, in an entirely different location. A location where the laws of physics were apparently forfeit, as she traced the gentle blue light radiating from the large, oval-shaped hole in front of her. A doorway that had spontaneously appeared, not cutting through the panel itself but leading to the other side, where a similar orange-coloured one saw herself out. Her jaw dropped as she stepped seamlessly over into the glass chamber, and back. </p><p>“Those are portals.”. Tikki explained. “They defy the laws of reality to link two spaces together, no matter the distance.”.</p><p>“How is this stuff even-”. Marinette was at a loss for words. “Actually, scratch that. This sort of thing should be out in the world, helping people.”.</p><p>She turned back towards the Core. “Why is it still locked up in here?”. </p><p>“Well… it’s complicated. But that’s not important right now.”.</p><p>Her optic motioned to the still-standing wardrobe. </p><p>“I’m afraid the only way out is through those chambers, so you should get changed. These first few tests will be a piece of cake for you, Marinette. Trust me!”.</p><p>“Looks like that's all I can do for now.”. The girl admitted while hastily throwing on the clothes. She eventually came to accept that she was completely, and utterly out of options. Perhaps she could place her faith in Tikki, though. After all, robots couldn’t lie - could they?</p><p>“Hey, Tikki.”. Her body, bent over the unruly straps of one stubborn boot, engaged in an awkward dance as she hopped through the portal to the other side. “These straps, they’re kind of hard to work with. Tikki?”. </p><p>Marinette looked up from the wrestling match against her feet, to find, in place of the curious gateway, a simple grey wall. With a tiny blast of blue and orange particles, the portals had closed.</p><p>“Tikki!”. She called out, pressing her face against the glass, towards the Core who was just as anxious as her. </p><p>“Oh no…”. Her optic shrunk to the size of a pinprick, bouncing around furiously and cautiously. Her frame was paralysed in fear, and she tried her hardest to back away.<br/>
“Tikki! What’s going on-”.</p><p>“He’s awake, Marinette!”. The other rushed to the panels as a means of escape. “Whatever you do, don’t let him - ”.</p><p>“You have done enough, my dear Tikki.”. </p><p>A hydraulic claw pierced through the ceiling at the orders of the unknown, intimidating voice- and ensnared the Core between its rigid steel prongs. Marinette opened her mouth, yet could no longer scream as the last light within Tikki’s eye left with a surge of electricity. </p><p>“I renounce you...”. Its flat, grey body slithered through the panels with the silent husk. “For now.”. </p><p>The blue-haired girl searched for the voice, both around the empty glass palaces and within her memories. That disquieting baritone voice was one she swore she had heard many times before, enough to know that its owner was one that had to be stopped. </p><p>She gritted her teeth. It didn’t take memories for her to figure that out, though - whatever excruciating pain that Tikki had felt during that act, or perhaps the pain she would feel after, was unforgivable. </p><p>“Hey, why did you do that!?”. Marinette yelled into the non-existent sky. Who knew how far underground they both were. Regardless of her situation, she was still completely oblivious to the fact that she was defending a robot from another robot. </p><p>“What has she ever done to you? And in fact, who are you anyway!?”. </p><p>“Ahh, Marinette.”. The caustic bitterness of his words seeped through their artificial monotone. “Indeed, it has been quite some time since you and I last conversed. You look well, for someone who has been in stasis for the past few… moments of her life.”.</p><p>The voice gave a convincing, devious chuckle. “Forgive my absence - I was attending to another throughout the chambers, a boy your age. I hope one of my cores hasn’t been giving you any trouble. She and her Miraculous are not needed for now. Fret not, though. You have my word that she will return.”.</p><p>“I hope you’ve got a good explanation for why you ‘renounced’ her in that way, too. And no matter how many people you have in here, I’ll definitely get to the bottom of this!”. She held a hand over her mouth, unable to account for the sudden outburst of fortitude.</p><p>“Or what, my beloved test subject? As someone who controls this entire facility with a mere twist of my hand, I advise that you consider your words wisely for once before expressing your concerns.”. </p><p>“ ‘For once’? What do you know about me!? Why am I here?”. Marinette demanded. She clenched her fists as another portal opened on the other gray panel in front of her.</p><p>“You will know in due time, But fret not. After all, the only concern you’ll be having after a while is that of your own life.”.</p><p>An ominous laugh reverberated through the facility. The door, of which she could see beyond the portal, was now open.</p><p>“I should introduce myself - my name is Papillon. And remember, little ladybug: at Agreste Laboratories, testing is the future - and the future starts with you.”.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Test Chamber 01 - Die Cut Effervescence</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Hey dude, not cool! Get back here and party with me!”.</p><p>Adrien refused to look back, concentrating on the rhythmic tapping of the braces trailing behind his feet. Droplets of sweat ran down his back, and beneath his side swept, strawberry blonde hair. Well, it was no surprise to feel this uncomfortable while being clad in the most impractical outfit he had ever worn. </p><p>The streamlined black jumpsuit, embroidered with sleek markings on all sides, tugged at his body as if to drag him back towards the enemy. The boy cradled the bulky, cylindrical device in his hand- a ‘portal gun’, as explained by Papillon - and was thrown onto his side in dodging yet another monstrous bubble.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p>
  <i>“Adrien, surname redacted.”.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>Adrien leaned his restless body on the side of the elevator as it descended towards the next chamber. </i>
</p><p>
  <i>“Surname redacted, huh.”. He looked up at the ceiling with a dejected animosity. “Now that really is helpful, isn’t it?”.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“What an astounding boy you are.”. The AI Papillon, of which he had newly and forcefully been acquainted with, replied from all sides. “Though that attitude of yours certainly needs some fixing, your file entails many great curiosities for both you and I.”.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>The circular lift landed silently in front of another door. The floor-length sign flickered, showing the number ‘Test Chamber 01’ for the second time. Adrien stepped out, confused.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“For example, yesterday was your birthday. And out of courtesy, I thought it would be better for you to know.”.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“Thanks old man, but when your entire life until now has become a mystery to you, it really isn’t that great.”. Adrien stepped into the chamber, more vast and intricate than the previous few ones that he had went through. </i>
</p><p>
  <i>The walls were hardly decorated, with the same shades of white, grey and black panels closing in on his vision. Some of them were unable to hold their weight, and dived headfirst from the ceiling into deep pools of gurgling toxic waste. </i>
</p><p>
  <i>The heat was overwhelming. The blonde unzipped his stained orange tracksuit and tied the sleeves around his waist. It didn’t take an expert to realise that such a deathtrap of a ‘laboratory’ couldn’t be legal.  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>“Hey, what’s happening with this chamber?”.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“The first few chambers you have solved were part of the older testing tracks from the previous laboratory. They were but the essentials of what I have planned in store for you.”.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“I am sure you will find the Agreste Laboratories Dual Handheld Portal Device you’ve been given more helpful this time. Not to mention the thematic adjustments to the portals themselves.”. </i>
</p><p>
  <i>A steel pedestal with another of Agreste’s peculiar devices rose from the floor in front of him. With its bulbous white casing and three prongs, it looked just like the ‘Portal Gun’ he had received earlier from Papillon. What was noticeably different were the green and black stripes on its back. There was also a swirling black void concentrated in the muzzle that Adrien was tempted to touch, but weighed the prospects of losing an arm and decided not to.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>Perhaps it was just another one of his tricks, the boy thought as he swapped the Dual Handheld Portal Device with his own.<br/>
The recoil took Adrien aback when he fired one green portal on the white panel in front of him, and pressed the trigger again when aiming it at the panel next to it. Sure enough, a swirling black portal emerged next to it with the flick of a switch. </i>
</p><p>
  <i>While he marveled at his own creation, a Core swerved abruptly in front of the boy. His slit-shaped optic was much like a cat’s, emitting a bold green light. </i>
</p><p>
  <i>Adrien tried to swat it away, causing it to be mildly offended. “Hey, what gives-!”.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“What gives?”. A raspy, unmotivated voice replied him. “Me. I’m the one who’s going to be giving you the power of destruction, but at this rate, I might just not be bothered. If only that weird Papillon guy would give me days off, though - he can be such a downer sometimes.”.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>It leaned in closer towards the still irritated Adrien.<br/>
“But between you and me, that’s an understatement.”.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“This personality core is the Guardian of one of the Agreste Laboratories Heroic Transfiguration Devices, the Ring of the Black Cat. He will take you through its usage, and enable you to transform.”.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“Wait, transform? What’s that supposed to mean?”.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“Plagg.”. The Core introduced himself, sliding along his management rail as if pacing in midair. “Nice to meet you. Heads up, though, you can’t eat pretty much everything in this facility, unless you’ve got an appetite for steel and toxic waste.”</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“You…”.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“The lasers here don’t move on their own, either, and when they do they’ll slice your body in half. Explains the whole ‘discouragement’ thing with their name, but ‘disappointment’ sounds better, dontcha think?”.</i>
</p><p>
  <i> Adrien was confused. “You can eat? And wait, did you just say lasers?”.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“Haven’t you guessed? It’s all pre-programmed.”. Plagg rolled his eye and continued rambling. “I bet one of those Lab Boys had a real bright idea to make an - ahem - ARTIFICIAL Construct with a pathological dependency on eating. That probably got him far - far out the parking lot, holding a box with all his stuff in it. Well if I’m not getting any Camembert, neither is he.”.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“Anyway, I’m still here.”. He drifted back towards the wall just as two panels emerged from behind it, one that read ‘Agreste Laboratories Core Input Receptacle’, and a smaller platform holding a ring.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“And I’ve still got a job to do. So see that shiny thing? Put it on, and plug me in.”.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>Adrien placed the thick silver ring on his finger, which had a similar Aperture logo as seen on the shirt given to him. Etched in the middle was a tiny green paw. Shutting his eye tightly, the Guardian Core disengaged himself from the rail, and found himself in the grasp of the other’s portal gun.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“You sure work fast, kid.”. He commended him as he was placed into the receptacle. “Now all you have to do, is say ‘claws out’”.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>The boy didn’t have much of a choice other than to continue amusing Papillon, so he took a deep breath.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“Claws out.”. </i>
</p><p>
  <i>The pixels in Plagg’s optic pulsated with an orderly chaos. A black, smoky substance engulfed the ring from the inside, the logo now illuminated by a magnificent green light that swallowed Adrien whole.</i>
</p>
<hr/><p>The mechanical hiss of the door opening gave Marinette a newfound sense of satisfaction. </p><p>“You’re quite the individual, Marinette.”. The robotic voice crooned to her displeasure. “To dive headfirst into danger if it means moving forward - for someone your age, I’d usually expect otherwise.”.</p><p>“You mentioned that someone else was in this facility. Another test subject.”. Marinette probed him further, disguising her fear. Her glance shifted towards the lively caricatures displayed on the wall of screens surrounding the lift. It was a child’s pop-up book, colourful and eccentric, involving the maiming of paper-like human figures with unusual, complicated machinery. Of course, robots were there too, and even took part in some of the fun. </p><p>“What about him?”. She took one last look at the chamber, and the red and navy portals shining from afar. </p><p>The girl stepped into the lift. Contrary to just about everything she had believed herself to be, she survived - one giant cube on a button at a time. Even pretending to fly by throwing herself into a portal 50 metres below her quivering feet. When danger became procedural to the test, uncertainties became certain when every move was calculated to solve it. All of it made the possibility that she could die seem less real. But it couldn’t just be a coincidence that she, a normal 15 year old girl who doodled through lessons and crushed on classmates, could find this tolerable. And to some extent, easy. </p><p>Perhaps it wasn’t out of the question after all that her newfound bravery had belonged to someone else; that she had unknowingly become someone else entirely. After all, she couldn’t even remember who her crush was. </p><p>“What I expect from him is what I will soon expect from the both of you. Because as of now,”.</p><p>The dark abyss beyond the cylindrical glass doors was disrupted by a meek red light. Marinette’s jaw dropped upon witnessing the mutilated shell it belonged to.</p><p>“T-Tikki…?”.</p><p>“The Miraculous Testing Initiative begins.”.</p>
<hr/><p>
  <i>A swirling mass of butterflies gathered in the center of the room, twisting and turning restlessly between one another in an ominous, deep purple storm. Adrien stretched a hand, or rather a claw, out in response. Unconsciously, he was baring his new fangs. </i>
</p><p>
  <i>“The Miraculous Testing Initiative revolves around a rather elementary concept, of good triumphing over evil.”.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“And where does science or whatever come in from playing hero and supervillain?”. He braced himself for the figure that materialised- a blue-skinned man donning a vibrant and unusually circular outfit. His lean, tan body was engulfed in red, orange and blue spheres. The red headpiece with a narrow, bead shaped protrusion would’ve stood out like a sore thumb along with the rest of him, if there were anyone else besides the young boy in the first place. </i>
</p><p>
  <i>“It is science, in the same way that everything else you have seen so far has been- deriving a carefully articulated solution to overcome almost certain death.”.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>He shivered. Both at the mysterious blue man, and the unsettling statement that just grazed his ears, along with the feline ones propped up behind his bangs that he were somewhat proud of. First, a gauntlet of puzzles that could kill him. And now, a human bubble machine that could also kill him. Where did Papillon’s outrageous plans begin and end? Well, he wasn’t waiting around to find out.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>The man saw Adrien, and strutted over with a look of relief that Adrien failed to understand. “Adrien, my man! Long time no see! And what’s with that outfit?”.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“Have...”. Despite that, the boy felt that a fragment of his mind had begged to differ, causing the strange animosity within him to fall instantly.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“Have we met before?”.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“Dude, now’s not the time to mess with me.”. Sincerity emanated from his two spotted eyes, behind their shade of deep red. “You know, his place looks pretty lame. Once we get outta here, we can start the real party - ”.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>His wild, juvenile voice let out an agonising cry. Adrien jumped back in surprise as his body convulsed with pain, his form tearing with electricity at the sides.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“Hey, are you alright-”. Hesitantly, he stepped forward again, as Papillon’s voice echoed through the chamber again.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“You’ll have to forgive me.”. He feigned an apologetic tone. “The Central Apathy Induction Unit built at the heart of this facility generates holographic versions of past ‘villains’ that have rummaged through Paris, creating chaos in society with their supernatural abilities. Although it’s Agreste Laboratories’ trademark, our pride and joy- there are just some drawbacks that we cannot avoid.”.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“Don’t listen to ‘im.”. The man held a firm grasp on Adrien’s shoulder, smiling meekly. “Adults are terrible - the world would be better off without them. Same for the awesome party I’ve got planned for you, so let’s go already!”.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“The akuma, the source of their evil, is multifaceted as all negative emotions are. When stored and projected, it does a little extra work.”. He was brought to his feet again by the jagged blue streaks coiling around his body. </i>
</p><p>
  <i>“In other words, they can think and feel, much like yourself. They can't handle it - it distorts their memories and dampens their lust for destruction. That’s why, on occasion, a little... reconditioning is at hand.”.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“Hey, stop it!”. Adrien pleaded with the facade of a demand. “That’s my- He, he’s my…”.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>He held his hands to his face in disbelief. “What am I saying?”.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>Papillon chuckled. “The door will open when you capture the Akuma within him, residing in the object that he holds dear the most -  and place it into the Agreste Laboratories Pneumatic Apathy Receptacle.”. As he mentioned the piece of apparatus, the neon purple lights around its square-shaped base lit up. From the other side, Adrien could sense from its circular glass chamber a vacuum of air. </i>
</p><p>
  <i>“Dude… I remember everything now.”. The other spoke again, his voice alarmingly slow and dreadful.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“Remember?”. The blonde boy gulped as the man advanced towards him, brandishing the massive bubble saw hoisted on his back.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“Yeah.”. He affirmed,  the ungodly rage in his expression fuelled by betrayal. “About the last party I pulled together for you… that Chat Noir and Ladybug totally busted!”.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“Who knew that weirdo dressed like a cat,”, He raised the saw into the air, summoning an array of fiery red bubbles poised to kill. “Was really you all along!”.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“Ahaha… was it?”. Adrien scratched his head, looking awkwardly from side to side. He had stopped following for the past five minutes. “Oops, I guess.”.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“Another test subject with the Earrings of the Ladybug will come to your aid shortly. If you’re still alive to receive any, that is. Until then, the Bubbler is a belated gift from yours truly.”.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>Before he could figure out why an insect could made him feel so much at ease, the area around his boots had erupted into flames.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“The name won’t ring that little bell of yours, but he certainly knows you. In more ways than one… Chat Noir.”.</i>
</p>
<hr/><p>Marinette’s hand recoiled from the wall to her right as she stepped out of the chamberlock, and into the corridor leading to the entrance of her next trial. A panel, it seemed, twisted energetically on its side like a spinning top, before Tikki had unexpectedly popped up from behind it. </p><p>“Thank goodness you’re alright!”. She chirped. </p><p>“Same goes for you.”. Marinette squinted at the brightly lit, rectangular sign beside her. This next chamber should’ve been the sixth one in the series, yet ‘01’ was printed on it with the same large numbers. </p><p>“And is it me, or am I right back where I’ve started?”.</p><p>The core paused. The red amongst the black spots gave off a weak, faded glow.</p><p>“Oh, no… it’s happening sooner than I expected.”.</p><p>“What is?”.</p><p>“The Miraculous Testing Initiative.”. Tikki’s voice lowered, worried that Papillon would return to hear their conversation. “It’s his very own design, each chamber armed with a villain more deadly than the last. Test subjects need to defeat them, or be defeated themselves…”.</p><p>“Wait, villain?”. The other felt even more lost than she was at the start. “And what’s this ‘Miraculous’ you all keep mentioning?”.</p><p>“Sorry, Marinette. You must be confused- these kinds of things rarely ever see the light of day, and it’s better for them not to.”. Tikki sighed. “You see, the Miraculous are objects as old as time itself, that have granted their users powers throughout history to use for good.”. </p><p>The construct’s anger was uncanny. “Somehow, this laboratory has managed to alter them for their own grand schemes.”.</p><p>She continued, cautiously looking from left to right. “Villains with supernatural powers used to cause chaos throughout Paris. Sadly, that was also caused by a bearer of the Miraculous. This place has harnessed the same power to bring those villains back, if only temporarily- there’s definitely a connection to those events that happened a long time ago.”.</p><p>“That sounds…”. Though she tried, Marinette couldn’t give her Guardian Core the reaction she wanted. “That sounds like the storyline of a really cool comic book.”.</p><p>“Come on, you need to take this seriously!”. The broken sphere protested.“It might be hard to believe, but a lot more is at stake than you think!”.</p><p>“So… you were being serious about the part with the powers?”. Marinette’s quizzical expression was a cause for concern.</p><p>“Why wouldn’t I be serious about-”.</p><p>“I know, Tikki.”. She interrupted the core, tossing and turning the portal gun in her hands. “After everything that’s happened, it’s harder for me to not believe you. I mean, you’re kind of the only one I can trust.”.</p><p>Tikki sensed how hard it was for the fifteen year old girl to keep calm. Unable to pat her on the back, the core leaned as close as she could to the test subject’s side.</p><p>“But I’m just worried. About Mom and Dad, and if everything’s going okay at home.”. Marinette’s tone was slightly raised. It was partly distress, but partly determination as well.</p><p>“I know there’s a lot of stuff going on, but that doesn’t matter.”. She said resolutely. “I only need to understand one thing; that I need to get out of here. To escape.”.</p><p>“Then escape.”. Tikki shifted her body as if to nod. “Get through the tests, and find a way to beat Papillon - that’s an escape route for sure. I have faith in you, Marinette. You probably don’t remember, but I’ve always had - ”.</p><p>“What is this commotion? Having a little gossip now, are we?”. </p><p>“I have to go.”. The core whispered, blinking rapidly. “I’ll see you on the other side. I wasn’t here, okay?”. </p><p>Tikki let out a shriek when all the panels creating the wall flipped upwards. </p><p>“Mind you both, we have no time for that. Onto the testing area- I will see to it that she explains everything to you shortly.”.</p><p>Papillon’s voice boomed as Tikki slid off in silence. “If SHE has not already done so.”.</p><p>Speechless at his cruelty, and at the prospect of her receiving the same treatment, Marinette dashed through the now open doors after the core. She ran headfirst into the next room and didn't even flinch at the sickly, corrosive pools beneath the platform. What did surprise her, though, was the intense, flame-cloaked clash between two boys her age in ridiculous Halloween costumes behind a flurry of gigantic bubbles. Time seemed to slow as she analyzed the chamber. Three large screens spanning the walls in front of her had been flipped out from behind the panels, showing brightly coloured infographics featuring a solid black figure like the rest of the chamberlock displays. Only this time, it had blue twintails and was dressed in a ladybug costume that looked just as disastrous as those of the contenders.</p><p>Instinctively, she knew she had to follow them to keep herself alive, but the more she followed, the more troubling it became. Cartoon Marinette plugs Tikki into some sort of outlet. Cartoon Marinette commits a fashion crime and becomes full of spots. Spotty Marinette beats up an innocent man until a butterfly comes out from chest… and kills it by shoving it into a vent?</p><p>Her train of thought was disrupted by the sound of Tikki falling to the floor.</p><p>“Hurry, Marinette!”. She urged. Her optic strained to focus on her while she lay on her side. “Put me into that empty outlet, the one next to the other core!”.</p><p>The gun's three prongs engulfed Tikki in gravity-defying streaks of energy. Marinette felt like her arms were made of stone during her hundred metre dash to the rear wall. The small dots of light above the receptacle flared red and black when Tikki was finally plugged in. </p><p>“Oh, it's you, Tikki.”. Plagg raised his lower eyelid to simulate a cheeky expression. “You look terri - terrifically alive! So tell me, how’s the old guy treating you? Does he have any cheese with a Type-C USB port?”.</p><p>“Okay, we're all set.”. To the Cat Guardian Core’s dismay, she continued instructing her test subject. “Put on those earrings and say, ‘Spots On’ as loudly as possible!”.</p><p>The girl placed all her faith in Tikki as the Guardian did for her. It was mostly out of being too afraid of the consequences of not following her advice. The earrings clicked in place too nicely; they could’ve been made for her. </p><p>The wielder of the Ladybug Miraculous inhaled sharply. “Spots on!”.</p><p>The voice activated earrings changed from a spotted ladybug pattern, to the widely seen Aperture in the same black and red colours. </p><p>Marinette’s body had been taken over by holographic spandex up to her neck. Something else had materialised over the top half of her face, like a mask. Everything bore the same black spots atop red, just like Tikki’s optic. She had become Spotty Marinette, the greatest embarrassment she had faced in her life. To the Guardian Core, it was something else entirely - the second dawning of the Miraculous Ladybug.</p><p>“You can do it, Marinette!”. Tikki almost hopped off her receptacle while cheering from the sidelines. Plagg was busy trying to avoid being collateral damage in the middle of the test chamber, rolling his eyes as he ducked his handlebars out of her way. </p><p>“Come on, relax a little.”. He said, not expecting Tikki to listen as their receptacles were jerked back into the wall behind blast-proof shields. The Cat Guardian was surprised when her optic sunk into her chassis after making sure she was masked in total darkness. It looked like his fellow Core had taken him seriously for once. </p><p>"We all know why you're cheering.". Plagg was completely frank with her. "You're afraid she won't survive, and you're absolutely right!".</p><p>He winked. "It's not that hard. I've let go - already forgotten what Adrien looks like. Just don't let your complete denial knock me off of the outlet, which will most definitely take me with them. Is that cool? Cool.".</p><p>“On the contrary,”. She bounced back from her resignation rather quickly, into giving another one of Plagg’s feared lectures. “We both know that Papillon needs to test. It's what he was made for. Those two are not going to die... that easily.  But that doesn’t change anything- if he means for it to happen, it’s already more than enough to put them at stake. </p><p>Tikki had long since dropped her cheerful, lilted autotune. As a resident of the facility, she had never been blind to a single thing the other mentioned.<br/>
"So try being a little supportive for once. It's <i>easier</i> than forgetting.”. </p><p>“Oh, not again.”. Plagg replied halfheartedly. The other half was spent sensing Adrien through the Ring of the Black Cat. He didn’t usually pay attention to such things, but the way the boy writhed through the deathtrap of a facility showed a relentless desire to live. Maybe it wasn’t his view of humans that Tikki refused to acknowledge, but her positivity that he was blind to. The construct leaned back and tried things from a different angle - Plagg reassured himself that this new Chat Noir would at least survive the next five minutes.</p><p>“Marinette, can you hear me?”. Outside, Tikki's voice buzzed into Marinette’s ears through her earrings. </p><p>“Tikki, what do I do, what do I do!?”. Ladybug was buckling beneath the sight of flames stretching to her feet. </p><p>“Listen, you have to stay calm.”. Despite her having no time for him, Tikki was looking expectantly at the other Guardian, trying to express her disapproval for his silence. “We only have ten minutes to do this!”. </p><p>“Ten minutes!?”.</p><p>To add more pressure, the large screens in the test chamber were engulfed in static. When they came back online, a symbol similar to her Yo-yo’s cover appeared on the leftmost screen, and a black paw on the opposite with one of its paw pads absent. In the middle, a timer, counting down to exactly ten minutes. </p><p>“The screen should be changed to a timer, with two symbols next to it.”. Tikki explained. “Focus on the ladybug. After every two minutes, one of your spots will disappear, and you’ll transform back when all of them do!”.</p><p>The young girl couldn’t take her eyes off of the reeling nanoseconds, lost time she could never have back. “When that happens, am I going to die!?”.</p><p>Plagg gave Tikki an expectant stare when she struggled to answer. “You should’ve let me handle this one.”. He chuckled. “I’m too far away, so tell her ‘most likely’ for me, will ya, sugarcube?”.</p><p>“NO!”. She killed two birds with one stone. “Marinette Dupain-Cheng, you are NOT going to die. You’ll get through this, and live to see the next Chamber!”.</p><p>“You mean there’s more!?”. Marinette gave a self-contained scream while fighting through the rising wall of smoke. There was no target, no timer to be seen within the grey cloud. The heat was blistering. The conductivity of her steel soles, ones that were supposed to protect her, left the girl standing on hot irons. </p><p>“Anyways, use your Lucky Charm!”.</p><p>“Lucky Charm?”. Ladybug was still tiptoeing around the flames. “What’s that supposed to mean - ”.</p><p>The insect-themed superhero became at the mercy of more voice activated controls. The yo yo tied to her waist that she didn’t notice at all began spinning fast enough to destabilise the hologram. Friction seared her fingers as Ladybug flung it off of her waist. </p><p>Its steel cord latched to her hand. The electromagnetic energy resonating within her only weapon caused it to lift off of the ground like a kite, yanking her out of the blanket of smoke. It dragged the unfortunate girl along with it as it spewed out a storm of heart-shaped particles. </p><p>A cutesy cloud of what was likely asbestos and store bought glitter was enough for Adrien and the Bubbler to notice the new challenger's entrance.</p><p>“Hey!”. Adrien yelled. He shook off the green bubbles clustering around his black boots. “You’re that girl he was talking about, aren’t you? The new test subject?”.</p><p>“Well, I guess!”. Tikki’s wielder halted herself with a palm to the ground. She shrugged while ducking to escape from another explosive bubble. She had no time to be surprised by how far she could leap over the flames - though she couldn’t be too ambitious with the moat of waste - or that she felt no pain whatsoever while doing so. Just like a real superhero. </p><p>“Cat-boy-person!”. It was hard to have a conversation while weaving through a slippery minefield of soap, water and nitroglycerin. “What’re we supposed to do!?”. </p><p>“Defeat him, I guess!”.</p><p>After saying the 140th ‘What!?’ in her journey through Agreste Laboratories, Ladybug’s yoyo plastered itself to the wall when it hit a barely visible receptacle on the far side of the chamber. The panel glowed with Agreste’s Aperture symbol. It triggered a chain reaction of red and black dots lining up slowly around the test chamber, snaking towards a circular tunnel at the top of the ceiling. </p><p>The black cross next to the Agreste Laboratories Vital Apparatus Vent changed into a red tick. The tunnel opened like an upside down flower, sending something large, white and heavy towards Ladybug’s head.</p><p>“Um, Bug-girl! Watch out!”. </p><p>She evaded the object just in time. In the periphery of her vision, another Apparatus Vent released the same white and blue Storage Cube. </p><p>Ladybug levitated the one closest to her off of the ground with her portal gun while Chat Noir pounced towards her from the opposite wall, through the wall of green bubbles flooding from all sides. The Bubbler smirked, having taken advantage of his carelessly placed portals to swarm them in adhesive pockets of air.The second cube fell straight down onto a button that brought power to the line of black nodes right next to her head. Before the deadly concentrated Discouragement Beams could take it off, Chat Noir had knocked her down just in time. </p><p>He grimaced. It was all at his own expense; Ladybug watched helplessly as the spongy layer of bubbles fused over his skin, sealing him in a giant, flimsy sphere.</p><p>"You have to stop him!". Chat’s words were muffled by the glassy, iridescent film of the green bubble. His claws bounced off the interior like rubber, and not a single scratch could be made. He withdrew his newfound baton within the chamber. A last resort, he swung, spun and twisted it into all sides of the bubble. It didn't disintegrate, however, still leaving him on borrowed time. The most he had given himself were a few less seconds of air with his heavy panting. </p><p>Plagg's wielder watched the new test subject with bated breath as she tried to avoid the same fate. He held his paws to the film and peered out, slitted eyes following the girl through his and her own portals. She maneuvered the cube, dead weight in her hands, with the poise of a half-squashed cricket trying to escape from the swatter. It was painful to witness, but somehow, the kick of adrenaline from his life-threatening situation made it exhilarating, even breathtaking to watch. </p><p>No, it wasn't the adrenaline. Chat Noir was rather afraid of his imminent death by suffocation. There could only be one other explanation: a connection to Bug-Girl that was, ironically, unexplainable. Because when their eyes met through the fire consuming what was left of the chamber, he knew he could trust that beautiful, familiar stranger. </p><p>The bubble shook as he pounded on the film. </p><p>"Cube! Lasers! Hurry!". </p><p>Marinette could feel the galvanising of all areas of her brain, processing the environment at light speed according to her partner’s exact words. They linked seamlessly together in her mind like the last pieces of a puzzle. There was no time to feel relieved. She set her sights through the roaring fire, through the dripping, bloated green clusters that had taken over every accessible surface of the chamber. Until now, she didn’t think to use those that weren’t. </p><p>Even the Bubbler thought that the young superhero had gone mad when she leaped decisively into her navy portal. The momentum propelled her through the hottest part of the flames, grazing her jumpsuit for a split second. Ladybug bit her lip and fought the pain with the resolve to live.</p><p>Sure enough, she had ended up in the right place at the right time; the uncontaminated white panels beneath the lasers. The girl pulled herself into an Olympic stance. She clutched the handle of her device with both of her sweaty palms, and in the world’s worst attempt at hammer throw she flung the cube upwards towards the bubble.</p><p>The other yelped and arched his feline body against the sides of the bubble, hoping to land on his feet in case it burst - but Ladybug had other plans. </p><p>She reactivated the gravitational beam to freeze the cube in the angle it was spinning at. She lifted it above her head and caused its spherical glass centre to meet the middle of the three beams. The solid, burning light converged at a perfect ninety degree angle to the bubble holding the boy captive. It popped slowly into a viscous, foul puddle of liquid. Just before the laser could bisect Chat Noir, Ladybug repositioned it, walking it along the walls and floor to clear the room of the adhesives.</p><p>The Bubbler wasn’t having any of it. With an upturned scowl, he channeled the last of his power through his saw. Rows, columns, an entire parade of explosive bubbles were commanded to seek out Ladybug, and tear her apart. Adrien’s eyes widened as he portalled behind him, knocking him off of his feet. The hologram simply laughed; the deed had already been done. </p><p>“Aww, running away so fast?”. He spat. “Why didn’t you save your ‘milady’ over there, huh!? After all… ”.</p><p>A small flock of bubbles threw Adrien back on the ground. </p><p>“She’s the one who took my place!”.</p><p>Thinking harder about it made the boy feel even more sick to his stomach than he already was. Behind the Bubbler’s bizarre, hate-fuelled mask was a friend in agony. Even if that friendship was out of his reach, Adrien was certain about one thing. Papillon wanted to take advantage of it, and he wouldn’t let a robot, however powerful it was, get in his way.</p><p>The sound of a Portal opening startled Ladybug, who was hunched over and coughing her lungs out. The fire had eaten into the puddles surrounding her, obscuring her vision in a wall of black fumes. She felt around behind her, and ducked through the opening she found. At the first glance of a shadow leaping through the black portal behind the Bubbler, Adrien changed the position of the one he had first fired. It didn’t matter where it was, as long as it was in front of the cube. </p><p>His hit turned out to be a bullseye. The rest of the cube formation reduced the other side of the chamber to debris, except for a single line of bubbles. </p><p>Adrien looked down at himself. With the time limit over, the sleek suit was gone. Blackened scraps of his white singlet withered away, slightly warm as they crumbled in his hands. Drained, he slumped himself against the wall like a ragdoll and laughed without triumph. This was the most dangerous arcade game he had ever played. </p><p>Immediately, he shot the black portal behind the Bubbler. Now a flickering mess of polygons, his form had been consumed by his own flames. </p><p>Adrien fully understood what he had caused. The genuine look of fear on the villain’s face was more scarring than being trapped in the bubble, when his full arsenal crackled and exploded on first impact. But a villain was a villain; when the superheroes opened their eyes after the blinding flash and earsplitting roar, he was no more. </p><p>What remained, swamped in a bed of charred debris, was a melted container of bubble solution - and an unharmed butterfly raising its dark purple wings. </p><p>The intercom buzzed.</p><p>“Well done, test subjects. Although your primary objective was to seize his treasured item, not destroy it along with my entire facility.”.</p><p>Adrien cursed under his breath. The test chamber door was still locked. Not only did he forget about it, but every instance in the battle where he could’ve done so played in his head on loop. The other girl was too fixated on the single spot left on her Ladybug icon, flashing on the half of the screen that stayed intact.</p><p>“Hey, Bug-Girl. Uh, Ladybug.”. Adrien questioned, shaking her out of her trance. “You were so close to him just now. Why didn’t you take his treasured item?”.</p><p>“Treasured item?”. Ladybug raised an eyebrow. “But you just told me to defeat him, so I did, and - !”.</p><p>The boy shook his head, threw his head back and gave a long, deflated vocalisation of his agony. Throughout the goose mating call, Marinette and her Guardian Core gave each other an earful. She felt the same way when she realised just how much of the carnage and destruction their fragile minds had witnessed could’ve been avoided. Which meant three years of her lifespan back from the toxic fumes if she had just properly understood simple pictures.</p><p>In the end, the Bubbler had won. Both of them were the ones defeated, wiping soot off of their arms and legs without a word to say to each other. </p><p>Papillon sighed. “Well, I suppose alternative solutions to my tests are to be credited when credit is due. Just not this one. Wielder of the Ladybug Miraculous, de-evilize that Akuma.”.</p><p>“That weird butterfly over there.”. Adrien whispered. His gaze drifted off to the side. “I don’t know. I don’t even know anymore.”.</p><p>The weight of his frustration compelled her to stand up, almost to redeem herself. Marinette listened to Tikki’s instructions with tears welling up in her eyes. Sure, she had just slipped past a gruesome and untimely death - but she wasn’t one to live for herself. It was the disappointment of this boy, a complete stranger, that had crushed her more than anything else. </p><p>But the girl blinked them back, and exhaled shakily. While the last eight minutes and thirty seconds weren’t the best moments of her life, it was the worst time to get ahead of her own thoughts. She slid her index finger up through the glowing line on her yo-yo. Her retinas burned at the unreasonably bright interior of the device. It was bursting with some unknown, potent energy, and something told her that she shouldn’t risk finding out what it was.</p><p>Marinette catapulted the yo-yo as far away from her as she could. Like a guided missile, it ran circles around the innocent butterfly. It tried to escape, but the moment the tips of its wings grazed the light, its form was crumbled and absorbed by it. </p><p>“Yes.”. Papillon was needlessly delighted. ”That’s it, Marinette. How very much like you to hurt others standing in your way while you pursue what’s right. Once that innocent animal has been fully vaporised, deposit your weapon beneath the new vent I have to call.”.</p><p>A thick glass tube added more to the debris in the chamber as it crashed through the ceiling. The two test subjects escaped its path, enduring the deafening scratches it made on the panels Adrien was just leaning on. When Marinette had followed the overseer’s instructions, a pristine white butterfly had reformed inside the yo-yo. Its translucent carbon wings flitted gracefully into the Apathy Receptacle’s tremendous, howling gust of air.</p><p>“Well done on the first use of your Miraculouses. I would personally rate the way you handled this test a ten, out of a hundred. But in Agreste Laboratories, all test subjects need to qualify for a pass is to be alive at the end. Quite a low bar, but it’ll just have to do for you both.”.</p><p>“This wasn’t a test.”. Adrien stood up, leaving his gun on the ground. Marinette was taken by surprise when he made a bold declaration. </p><p>“You’re just trying to kill us. You clearly want something from me… And something from her, too!”. He stared down the only functioning security camera left in the room while clenching his fists. “So what is it!?”.</p><p>Papillon’s laughter was nothing short of maniacal. </p><p>“What I need? THIS is exactly what I need! The injustice brewing in your young, hopeful hearts is the perfect catalyst for your triumph against evil! Perfect for your Miraculouses, and especially for Tikki and Plagg, the Cores you so trust.”. </p><p>“I don’t trust him.”. Adrien deadpanned. </p><p>Marnette was unsettled by how the AI had spat poison on that last word. The girl was no stranger to the secretive and deceitful nature of this inexplicably hateful being. But it was true that her only allies, apart from the boy, were extensions of the facility itself; if Tikki had the ability to sugarcoat things, surely she could hide some of them from her entirely. Robots <i>could</i> lie, after all. </p><p>She looked cautiously at the Cores, who had been released from behind the shields with feedback from the vent. Papillon’s outburst had reduced Tikki to a shaking mess. Plagg, on the other hand, was in utter shock and disbelief.</p><p>“I give you a cool costume and save you from certain death,”. His optic shrunk for emphasis. “And this is how you thank me? ‘I don’t trust him’? I thought you were a little off at first, but <i>wow</i>, you’re rotten. Now pick me up, you crummy piece of Camembert.”.</p><p>“And how do I know you’re not in cahoots with him?”.</p><p>“Oh, that’s just discrimination!”. Plagg retorted. “Just because I’m a robot and he’s a robot, huh!? You humans are so insensitive. If you don’t trust me that much, why don’t you just use your Cataclysm on me, then?”.</p><p>Adrien stopped moving. Tikki squeezed her shutters while in Marinette’s hands.</p><p>“What’s a Cataclysm?”. </p><p>“What’s a Cataclysm!?”. The Guardian Core was about to burst. “Oh, in my six thousand years - you really are something, kid! It’s uh, your special power? The one that destroys a single object in the room…”.</p><p>Plagg realised the sheer stupidity of his words. He slowed down, regretting each one he spoke. “... That I didn’t tell you about. Right.”.</p><p>“You mean.”. Adrien was livid.  The boy had half his mind to release the core from his gun’s grip over the pool of corrosive waste. “You mean I didn’t have to almost be burned alive, blown to bits, or suffocated in a giant bubble in the last ten minutes!?”.</p><p>“Well, uh.”. Plagg replied nonchalantly, his optic shifting from side to side. “Short answer yes, long answer, it doesn’t exactly work that way. But essentially, see short answer.”.</p><p>“Why didn’t you tell me this earlier!?”.</p><p>“I didn’t think you were going to survive that long!”.</p><p>“That’s very encouraging, Plagg. Really makes me want to trust you even more than I already don’t!”.</p><p>“Well, what do you know about people surviving in <i>here?</i> I’m just trying to be realistic!”.</p><p>“This is a disaster.”, Tikki muttered as she and her wielder watched him debate with a metal ball. With Papillon not having threatened to incinerate them if they didn’t continue testing, it meant that he was enjoying this. </p><p>Both of them understood that, and Marinette took it upon herself to give the overseer no satisfaction. She snuck up behind Adrien, and gently patted him on the shoulder. </p><p>“What?”. He turned around, seething. Plagg rejoiced at his saviour. </p><p>“Uhh…”. Marinette’s index fingers found themselves together. Her throat was too choked up with words for her to notice. This situation was a tense one, but what was it that made giving a reply so difficult? </p><p>She caught herself, and found the answer. It was his eyes, the way she could see herself in their brilliant green.</p><p>“Hey, don’t think I’m onto you too.”. Adrien had completely run out of patience. “Why didn’t you capture the Akuma when you were the only one who could!? We could’ve both died! And what kind of animal are you supposed to be anyway!? Some sort of - ”.</p><p>“Ladybug.”. Marinette whimpered. She took a step back, and nearly tripped over the debris. “A ladybug.”.</p><p>Just then, the illusion ended. The spotted mask fused to her skin dissolved into microscopic particles, revealing the true extent of her sadness. </p><p>There it was, the slovenly test gear that they were both forced to wear. An orange jumpsuit scarred with corrosion and burns that seeped into her skin where it tore. </p><p>Adrien gritted his teeth and held a hand over his eyes. This girl wasn’t just another program in Agreste’s pantheon of contrived robotic creatures. She was as real as his anger, being slowly drowned out with remorse. The expectations he had unconsciously placed on her were higher than those he would have for any other person, downright unreasonable for anyone he would’ve just met. </p><p> “... I’m sorry.”. He lowered his gun and left Plagg on the ground. “That was too much.”.</p><p>“It’s - It’s fine. I guess.”. Blushing at his apology, Marinette’s mind went on autopilot while her body went in circles. “I mean, we’re all on edge. We’re all trapped here, I’m assuming you are too, by the way - and we almost died to an angry bubble man.”.</p><p>“But, still! Another human, finally! I was thinking that the only people - er, things here were creepy robots. Sorry, just Papillon. Not all robots are creepy.”. Adrien wondered how she was having stage fright without an audience. “It’s nice to Marinette - I mean! It’s nice to meet you, I’m Marinette.”.</p><p>“Adrien.”. He introduced himself. “Say, Marinette. Do you remember anything - ”.</p><p>“No, no, no, no. I want a redo. My name is Ladynette! The Marinaculous… Ladybug!”. Like a top that had stopped spinning, Marinette was about to hit the ground with full force. Adrien rushed towards her, with no choice but to catch the starstruck girl in his arms.</p><p>“Oh, my. I would hate to interrupt the beginning of your whirlwind romance.”. Papillon mused. “But your fellow test subject here isn’t suffering the effects of a schoolgirl crush, but trace amounts of a new oxide of nitrogen from the gas she inhaled. The longer you wait, the longer she will make a fool of herself, and the more likely the chance of heart failure.”.</p><p>With no time to waste, he slung her arm around his neck. Tikki, who was trying to get a hold of her wielder, found herself in Adrien’s portal gun. Ignoring Plagg’s cries for him to choose the more sensible of the two Cores, the wielder of the Cat Miraculous dived through the blue Emancipation Grill and sat her down in one of the two lifts in the chamberlock. Her Guardian Core was back on her management rail, silently watching her in her chemical induced slumber while white smoke obscured the happy dreams on her face. </p><p>Adrien watched everything unfold in his own elevator. It felt as if he had been behind the glass all along, not just in between tests. Glimmers of the people he knew and considered dear had been dangled in front of him like a piece of salmon from the ceiling, provoking the new, cat-like form he had been given. The past taunted him to reach out before being butchered by the present. It was torn apart by the same alien force that, with a soft mechanical whirr, lowered him into a sea of dark.</p><p>But just because he had forgotten once, it didn’t mean he would forget again. In the Bubbler, there was trust and brotherhood. Marinette, on the other hand, brought something intangible to his palate of memories - the same way her slurred ‘I love you’ while on his shoulder reached more than just his ears.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Test Chamber 02: There is No Signal in Space</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Out of both of your Miraculouses,”. Papillon spoke as the doors of both lifts slid open into the next Chamberlock. “The Ladybug defies the laws of physics in the most unflattering way possible. At the Guardian’s full power, it creates a random household object out of thin air. Could you imagine that being Paris’s last line of defence?”.</p><p>Adrien knew better than to respond to the AI’s efforts in riling up its test subjects, instead focusing on helping Marinette. The innocent, curiously blue-haired girl was still in a daze from what was likely the antidote to the ‘schoolgirl crush’ flowing through her veins. The residual smoke spread over the circular concrete floor in faint wisps, curling around the boy’s ankles before they disappeared. </p><p>Tikki rose through the last puffs of white smoke on her management rail. Against her better judgement, she began to overheat from processing Papillon’s words.</p><p>“Don’t say anything, don’t say anything…!”, she repeated quietly, despite knowing that it was a reaction in itself. </p><p>The Guardian swore that it was her new steel form that had left her this vulnerable. The divine consciousness of a Kwami and its centuries of wisdom had been brought down by man and humbled to their image. In all means, it was humiliating, but through her broken pixels was a world that she thought she could only observe from afar: the world of a Ladybug. </p><p>The Core lowered herself towards a kneeling Marinette, who was rubbing her eyes with the bearer of the Cat beside her. There were so many things she wanted to talk about, after finally being able to understand them. Like how relieving it was sometimes to be upset over a loose wire, wrong turns in the labyrinthian underground factories, as well as other trivial things. Her forced days in Agreste Laboratories made Tikki appreciate their journey even more, and realising that she was the only one who remembered it tortured her immensely. That was the second thing she wanted to talk about. Feeling without moderation anxiety, contempt and loss. It was painful, but if she could be closer to her this way, it was more than enough.</p><p>“Hmm…?”. She mumbled, still groggy from her treatment. “Where am I? What happened to the test? Am I… Am I alive?”.</p><p>“Yes,”. Tikki bobbed up and down with glee. If she was no longer a friend, the best she could do was to try and be one. “Yes you are, Marinette! The test is complete, you’ve made it!”. </p><p>“How are you feeling?”. Adrien asked. “Can you stand?”.</p><p>“Yeah. I think so.”. </p><p>Both of them watched the panel closest to them flip upwards. There was Marinette’s Portal Gun, good as new.</p><p>With tense shoulders, the girl squeezed her hands tightly while they rested on her knees. She retracted slowly into her own form, her voice crescendoing out of control as tears began to fall.</p><p>“But I don’t know how long I’ll be able to. After the next test, and the next - !”.</p><p>The smoke and fire had brought whiplash to her fully conscious mind. It was all she could see through her blurry, watering eyes.  </p><p>“You’re strong enough to, Marinette.”. Tikki insisted. “If you could defeat that villain, you can do anything - ”. </p><p>“You don’t understand! That wasn’t me!”.</p><p>“Sorry.”. Adrien addressed the core. Sharing many of the same sentiments, he was just as demoralised. “Could you… leave us for a moment?”.</p><p>“Well, I guess I could.”. Tikki sadly obliged, sliding back up the rail. “Take care of her for me, okay?”.</p><p>Adrien huffed and looked around the chamberlock. It probably wasn’t a good idea to remain standing, as if he expected her to move along with him. Sliding the device out of his hand, the boy dropped to his knees and slid his back against the railing of the lift. </p><p>They were now next to one another, each desperate to console themselves while imagining what horrors the next chamber withheld. </p><p>“Hey.”. Hesitantly, he opened his mouth. “Hey, Marinette - ”.</p><p>“Oh, don’t cry...”. Papillon mocked before switching back to his venomous tone. “It’s going to be much worse for you and your fellow test subject if you don’t step out of the chamberlock and keep testing!”.</p><p>“That's enough!”. Adrien yelled towards the ceiling in reflex. Papillon was taken aback by his defiance, and responded in turn. </p><p>“Oh, very well.”. His voice was dangerously calm. “Out of the goodness of my heart, I’ll give you both five minutes… to live.”.</p><p>The door to the next chamber slammed shut. The room began filling with a noxious green gas. Marinette buried her face in her hands, sobbing harder while she relived the nightmare.</p><p>“I am a reasonable construct, while neurotoxin can only understand the wretched screams of its victims. If you would like to reconsider, let me know.”.</p><p>“Adrien, hurry!”. Tikki called from above.</p><p>“Listen to me, Marinette.”. Adrien placed his hands firmly on her shoulders. “Papillon wants us to suffer like this. And the only way any of us are getting out of here is to fight through whatever torture chamber - ”.</p><p>“No.”. Marinette’s voice had grown weak from her violent coughing. “No, it’s not just that.”.</p><p>“Well, what is it?”. </p><p>"I… don’t know how long it’s been since what was meant to be my first day back at school.".</p><p>“If you want to go back, then we have to keep moving or else - ".</p><p>"I go to Collége François Dupont.". </p><p>Adrien was stopped in his tracks. His exasperation was dampened by the first clue to his own past - the place where he attended school. Meaning that this girl, Marinette, was connected to him in some way. </p><p>He had waited long enough for concrete evidence against a hunch, and an odd feeling in his stomach. Against his situation being some demented manifestation of destiny. Indeed, Papillon had brought them here for a reason. Adrien could do nothing else but put his brimming emotions aside, and listen closely.</p><p>"I draw in class, I sleep in class, I’m best friends with Alya, but definitely not with Chloe.". The girl rubbed her stained cheeks against her knees. Now completely sober, she could feel the full extent of the peeling red burns streaked over her arms. "The more I tell myself these things, the less right they sound.".</p><p>She paused and found the strength to look up at the blaring timer spread across the entire chamberlock. Adrien had let go of her, busy playing the names over and over again in his head. He was defenseless to the shreds of hope they gave him, so much that he placed aside his impending doom in an attempt to decipher them. Were they classmates? If those 'villains' were really citizens of Paris, was the Bubbler his classmate too?</p><p>"I'm not afraid of dying.". </p><p>She stared blankly at the timer. Adrien took a step back, utterly shocked. It didn’t help that his blood was still boiling from Papillon’s intrusion. He had every intention to chastise her for such a statement - she might be just fine with dedicating the last three minutes of her life to a breakdown, but what about him? </p><p>Her next words threw him off his anger into something much worse.</p><p>"Why it feels like I've almost died so many times that it's become normal, is what really scares me. And now, with the whole Ladybug thing… I've only just realised that I don't know who I am anymore.".</p><p>A horrific realisation dawned upon Adrien. He struggled to breathe, the gas far from having taken effect.</p><p>"Papillon said I was a bad person. If I've had those powers before... what if he's right?". Marinette turned to Adrien, even more distraught than she was before. “You had some too, didn’t you? Doesn’t this bother you at all?”.</p><p>In the end, what he did know about himself was more disturbing than what he didn't. He knew how to spin that baton. When he was confronted by a blue-skinned abomination with an infinite arsenal of explosives, he never once considered that he could simply drop everything and run. Worst of all, he fought him head on and tried to kill him - even while fully aware that he was once a friend. Maybe the normal life he wanted nothing else but to return to wasn't so normal at all. Maybe Adrien, Surname Redacted, deserved to be where he was now. In a room flooded with deadly neurotoxin. </p><p>"No, no no…!". He turned around and slapped his cheeks. Papillon had gotten to him through Marinette. In truth, it was something he needed to spend time alone to figure out. But the incoming wave of nausea was a sign that he had to convince himself otherwise - that all of it was the overseer’s trickery.</p><p>"Adrien!". </p><p>At the sound of Tikki's cry, the boy looked dead straight into Marinette’s eyes, forcing her to swallow her erratic thoughts.</p><p>“Marinette, I know you want answers.”. He reasoned sternly while taking care to not be too demanding. Giving a whole speech to someone in such a state involved the right words, and very little time to consider them. Far from his forte, but the other was already listening earnestly to the things that could make or break them both.</p><p>Adrien sighed and decided that playing it straight, while exposing himself, was the best and easiest answer.</p><p>“And so do I. While you might not be who you think you were, my whole identity - even my last name - was taken from me by an evil robot. I don’t know how he did it, but it blows!”. He took a moment to catch his breath. “We both want to know what’s going on. But if we don’t keep testing, we'll die before we're even close to finding out.".</p><p>Somehow, his mind went to the robot silently and anxiously watching. His bad impressions from Plagg had made him a skeptic of artificial constructs, but what the Ladybug core and Marinette shared between them from the first chamber made him give them the benefit of a doubt. Maybe even slightly jealous.</p><p>"Think - Think about Tikki.”. He pleaded. Tikki's heart ached in the surrounding darkness, her optic long since ruined by Papillon’s grasp. “She might be a robot, but she cares about you. Without you, she'll have to go through it alone.".</p><p>It pained him to have to beat her up more than she had already done herself, but it was a necessary evil. But it worked. More or less, she seemed to be coming out of her trance and back into her senses. </p><p>"You're right, Adrien.". Marinette exclaimed with resignation and a slight hint of disgust. "What am I doing? I'm so selfish, just sitting here and - ". </p><p>She interrupted herself to scramble for the device near the panels. In an instant, the neurotoxin stopped, the panels were back to advertising spherical armed robots, and the door was open. </p><p>Tikki slid back down and eyed the two cautiously. A few seconds passed. </p><p>“You should probably say something to Adrien. You almost killed him, you know?”. The heavy static feedback from her whispers defeated the purpose of lowering her voice. Marinette turned red.</p><p>"Adrien, I'm sorry, I - !". She burst with apologies. “I got carried away. Really carried away - ”. </p><p>She swerved back to Tikki. “And you too, Tikki. If I had got us killed, then you’d… I wasn’t thinking. I’m sorry.”.</p><p>There was no possible excuse she could give for the last few minutes. Unlike when he pulled her out of her slump, it seemed like Adrien couldn’t find anything else to say. His troubled expression, from which the reservations he had of her couldn’t be more clear, plagued her with a low, sinking feeling even more sickening than the neurotoxin. Being absorbed in Papillon’s words absorbed her in herself at the expense of everyone else, and she didn’t hope to be forgiven.</p><p>“Let’s… Let’s not dwell on it.”. </p><p>To Marinette’s confusion, the boy gave her a half-smile, trying to leave things amicable between the only two humans in the facility. The most important things lay ahead of them rather than between them.</p><p>“Shall we head to the next chamber, Mil…”.</p><p>He stumbled while trying to lighten the mood. It looked like Adrien had trouble with her name, even though he had done so perfectly throughout their whole interaction.</p><p>“It’s, uh, Marinette.”.</p><p>“Marinette, yeah.”. He scratched his head while awkwardly turning to the side. “I thought I was going to say something else. Weird.”.</p><p>“I’m just glad you’re okay.”. Tikki piped up. “Pick me up and we can continue testing!”.</p><p>The girl nodded, signalling for the core to disengage. Tikki’s chassis popped off the management rail and rolled into the triangular beams of her portal gun. </p><p>The emancipation grid gave her shivers as usual. It felt like passing through a door made of thin jelly, minus the mess that would come with it. The streaked blue field left her with mild, inexplicable aches as she stepped into the corridor before the next chamber. Harsh red lights lining the edges of its crooked walls, ominously guiding their descent. </p><p>She flinched mid-step. The grid had left a sharp chill on her raw skin. "Ouch.".</p><p>"You okay?". Adrien stopped. "Those burns look pretty bad.". </p><p>Marinette stripped off the hem of her tattered singlet. </p><p>"It's…". She wrapped it around her forearm as best as she could, grinding her teeth through the pain. "Really sore! But I help around my parents’ bakery, so I’m used to it. Anyway, aren’t holograms supposed to be fake? Not sure how they could dish it out like that.".</p><p>"The stuff of Sci-fi.". Adrien muttered. “This place just keeps getting weirder and crazier.". </p><p>As they kept walking, Marinette noticed how distracted Adrien was. Though it didn't surprise her that he might be still mad, her heart was racing over whether she had done wrong by speaking to him so soon. To some extent, it tormented her. </p><p>There were no means of reaching the outside world from the shifting labyrinth of machines. Still, she could draw her fearful uneasiness from the silence of being left on read. A tragedy in the mundane life that she had learned to be grateful for.</p><p>And then, a connection.</p><p>“You said you were from Collége François Dupont?”.</p><p>Marinette, whose movement was reduced to tiny shuffles by the tunnel of haunted panels, jumped when Adrien broke the silence. </p><p>“Be careful, Marinette!”. Tikki was bobbing and down from her sudden jolt. Even after her wielder had told her not to stress herself, the dim beam of light shining from her optic flickered like a distress signal at the depths of the ocean. “I can’t light the way if you scare me like that!”.</p><p>“Oops. Sorry Tikki.”. She stabilised her grip on the gun, and faced the boy beside her. </p><p>"Yeah.". Marinette nodded. "That's where I'm supposed to be right now. Working on my designs during recess, then going back to class and hoping it’s not French History.". </p><p>"How did you - ". She paused, afraid to ask. "I mean, how about you? Where did you go to school… maybe.".</p><p>"Collège François Dupont.". Adrien replied, his gaze still fixed at the end of the tunnel.</p><p>"Then that means - !". Marinette gasped. Tikki was in for another ride when she stopped in her tracks. "Do you know Alya, Chloé, uh… Alix? How about Juleka? No, that won't do any good. What about class? What class were you from?". </p><p>"No, and no.". The other mumbled solemnly. "When you mentioned your school, I knew it was mine, too. I had friends there, and those names do sound familiar. But I can’t be sure.". </p><p>He shrugged. "For all I know, I could've only been there for a short time. Then I woke up here, of course.".</p><p>"I see…". Marinette scratched her chin, contemplating what to say next. Though the elephant in the room wasn't exactly a polite one, she took a deep breath and braced for a harsh response. </p><p>"By any chance, you don't happen to have woken up in a crazy room you haven't seen before by a core like Tikki, almost die when she - ”. She corrected herself when Tikki’s chassis drooped downwards out of guilt. “The core smashes it into a wall, and then meet Papillon who says he wants to force you into test slavery for your entire life?".</p><p>It took a moment for Adrien to comprehend everything. The look of confusion on his face was overcome by a lighthearted chuckle. </p><p>"No. I didn't receive that warm of a welcome.".</p><p>"Then, how did you get here?".</p><p>"In one of those lifts, without my memories.".</p><p>Tikki waved her handlebars at the sight of the door. “There it is! That felt like forever.”.</p><p>The familiar sliding door retracted to reveal an islet of platforms, each its own patchwork of grey and white panels. The ever-deadly moat of waste rippled gently under the convincing sunlight from the frosted windows, hastening the decay of everything it touched.</p><p>Marinette, Adrien and Tikki were welcomed into the second chamber by Papillon, and the groans of corroding metal.</p><p>“The Corridor Trust Development Initiative is now over, and testing will resume proper.”. The AI was glowing. “I knew increasing the distance between the Chamberlock and test chambers was an excellent idea!”.</p><p>“It really was you!”. Tikki yelled into the ceiling, unreasonably furious. “It wasn’t just me. The way we came in was suspicious!”.</p><p>“The results are conclusive. The longer subjects have to travel to the next chamber, the more likely they are to muse about the world outside, together… and forge a sense of companionship that in the end will lead to their inevitable downfall!”.</p><p>Adrien wasn’t impressed. He put a hand on his hips and gave a proud smirk. “Well, I’ve been doing a little experimenting too.”. </p><p>“And what sad excuse for scientific value can be derived from this ‘experiment’, conjured from that feeble human mind of yours?”</p><p>“I can’t tell you, but I can tell you the results: Psychotic robots don’t make the best supervillains after all. ”.</p><p>Papillon hid his anger, and laughed as if to accept his challenge. “You must be mistaken, for I am not the villain here. Whoever that is, I invite you both to think for yourselves… in this next test.”. </p><p>The intercom faded. Marinette couldn’t help but notice how quickly Adrien had recovered from being at Papillon’s mercy. Entering the test chamber, she thought she saw a sudden surge of confidence in him, but it was too early for her to be sure. Anyway, there were more urgent things at hand, like the next villain to face - and the panels immediately beneath her feet sliding in opposite directions.</p><p>She jumped back. A large panel beneath the platform rose to the surface, revealing a peculiar device built into it. </p><p>“What’s this?”. Marinette bent down to take a closer look. Someone took a skateboard made entirely out of black, translucent glass and wedged it into the floor. It was a horrible description, and her best guess. Then, within seconds of scrutinizing the signs next to it, she backed away.</p><p>“No. No, no, no. There is no way I’m doing this.”.</p><p>“No way I’m doing what?”. Adrien raised an eyebrow. It was true that the foreign, mysterious technology of the facility could skin them in at least three ways, but the new testing element hadn’t even started shooting lasers yet. Wanting to see for himself, he headed towards the part of the floor shaped like a giant cockroach. </p><p>“Adrien, don’t - ”.</p><p>“Hm? But there’s nothing wrong with this - WOAHH!”.</p><p>A single tap of his braces caused the device to flip upwards with the force of a thousand industrial springs. The platform had flicked him off, the aerial faith plate its fingers, and sent him propelling over the moat towards the platform in front of them.</p><p>“Adrien!”. Marinette clutched her chest.</p><p>“I’m fine!”. Adrien yelled back in mid-air. He had been bounced so high that time seemed to slow; At the apex of his flight, he had taken in the entire chamber within arm’s length from its highest point. “You should honestly check this out, Marinette! It’s kinda pretty up here!”.</p><p>The geometry of a thousand panels weaved together end to end, in a form of absurd architectural origami, was surprisingly scenic. It was the last place he would consider being worthy of a postcard, but it really was. </p><p>“You don’t have time for that! Look out!”. </p><p>Tikki shook him out of it, and made him realise that his head, when turned into a split melon, wouldn’t look so scenic. </p><p>“I take that back!”. With an unsteady wail, he braced for landing. “Not pretty, not pretty at all!”.</p><p>The tips of his boots barely grazed the top of the next platform. He was still metres in the air. A one way trip to a brown abyss waiting to liquefy his insides. </p><p>“Adrien, no - huh!?”. </p><p>His screaming was cut short by someone - no, something else’s screaming. Just before he passed over the panel, Plagg had been catapulted towards him from another faith plate to his far right. A five-kilogram bowling ball was about to hit him square in the chest had he not lifted his arm to shield himself. Adrien’s right shoulder brushed against the Core’s chassis, sending him spiralling down from his left onto the platform. Likewise, Plagg fell straight down. The leftover momentum didn’t tumble him into the waste as Adrien would’ve liked, but he settled for being safe.</p><p>“Oh, hey Adrien.”. Plagg grinned with his shutter. “You left me behind in that last chamber, you know?".</p><p>"Marinette didn't have a portal gun, and you didn’t even bother helping me survive!". Adrien replied despite being in paralyzing pain. Landing on only one boot almost cost him both his legs, and the collision with Plagg his entire arm. When he could move, he tore off the jumpsuit to glimpse at a thin circular patch - with the distinct shape of handlebars - beneath the skin on his back. It was bright pink, and tinges of purple began to mark the edges.</p><p>"At least Papillon took pity on me.". The Guardian snickered. Understanding inside out the pain-suppressing abilities of the Miraculous, he took the opportunity to exercise his free speech. "He must've taken your kind human soul just like how he’s taking away your adulthood, test by test! But now that I’m back, I hope your dream job in the future is to be a bitter old man.".</p><p>“...I hate you so much.”. Adrien grimaced. The bruise was warm to the touch, and sent a jolt through his entire body with the slightest bit of pressure or movement. Despite that, Plagg continued, half-expecting to be picked up. </p><p>"But I’ve decided there’s no point in frying my circuits over the past. I might’ve only been activated for about… half an hour, give or take, but my wiring isn't exactly made of Halloumi.". Plagg deadpanned. His optic locked with the other’s, and bubbled in and out for emphasis. "They will set something on fire, after me of course. And as much as I want that person to be you, or probably Tikki, I'm going to forgive - and forget.". </p><p>His handlebars wriggled like the legs of an upturned cockroach. "So what do you say… Partner? Friend?".</p><p>Marinette had been left behind from their reunion. She sat Tikki down next to her to watch their antics, muffled by their sheer distance, from the closed test entrance. Anything to distract herself from the fateful jump she would soon have to take. </p><p>“The receptacle is just over the next platform, Marinette!”. Tikki encouraged. </p><p>“There’s a big problem, Tikki.”. She turned her Guardian towards her. “There is no way I’m going to be landing on that platform.”.</p><p>“You’ll be fine if you just concentrate!”.</p><p>“I know. A - And of course I’m scared, but…”. The girl had been so occupied with finding a decent excuse to realise that she didn’t actually need to.  </p><p>“Tikki, will Papillon ever design an impossible test?”.</p><p>Recalling Adrien’s less than graceful acrobatics over the chamber, Plagg’s sudden entrance through a vent from the rightmost platform in the chamber allowed Adrien to land safely. With no spaces to portal over the waste, standing anywhere close to the aerial faith plate would lead her to a watery demise.</p><p>“No. I’m certain he won’t.”. Tikki’s shutters widened and narrowed in thought. She paused and wondered if she could give a proper explanation to a child, but decided against it. <br/>“Papillon is a… special type of AI. He can only be happy if we keep solving the tests he makes.”.</p><p>“Then if he wants us to solve them, why does he keep trying to kill us?”.</p><p>“I…”. Tikki looked off to the side. As she replied, she zoomed in on Adrien and Plagg. It surprised her, how they were still arguing. It was something she had to discuss with Plagg behind closed shields. “I guess it’s just how he is. Like how looks don’t affect a human’s personality, our mainframe doesn’t change who we are as constructs.”.</p><p>A stormcloud of butterflies dived out of the vent from afar. Marinette stumbled to her feet, watching the crackling purple mass take form the closer it drifted towards her. </p><p>“Marinette, jump!”. Adrien yelled across. He was holding Plagg with his gun like he would a person at the neck. </p><p>“I can’t! I’ll miss the platform!”.</p><p>“I’ll catch you, then!”.</p><p>The girl facepalmed. From the start, she didn’t really figure Adrien for the type with good looks, but no sensibility. Like Papillon’s ‘Initiatives’, the results were conclusive. She was wrong.</p><p>“You’re not three metres tall!”. Marinette groaned. “I’ll still miss the platform!”.</p><p>“Well, what do you propose we do then!? You might die if you jump, and you’ll definitely die if you stay there!”.</p><p>“Marinette, to your right!”. Tikki had been trying to warn her about the impending threat. In reality, they had bought just enough time for the Akuma to give itself form. </p><p>With a loud ‘Eek!’, her wielder took notice of the next stranger dressed for halloween. The tan girl took a step forward for every step she took back. There was a piercing disdain through the black mask glued to her skin, marking the tucked sides of her long, neatly parted auburn hair. What was most curious about her matching black and white catsuit, was the glowing wifi symbol on top of her chest. </p><p>“An exclusive leak was given to yours truly that this was the location of the true Ladybug.”. She announced her arrival with an infuriated scowl. The villain scanned the chamber, taking note of every piece of technology in her sight for her greatest broadcast yet. “But it appears to be fake news - how very disappointing.”.</p><p>“A...”. Marinette croaked. Even through thick, thin or a poor choice in fabrics and colours, the girl could recognise her best friend. But the instant relief of her presence didn’t change how terrible it was for them to meet on opposite sides - not to mention the digital distortion where her feet touched the floor.</p><p>“Don’t fall for it!”. Tikki exclaimed. “That’s not…!”.</p><p>“Alya.”. She held out a hand to make sure she wasn’t hallucinating. “Alya… It’s you.”.</p><p>“Marinette?”. The other’s expression softened into fear and then guilt. Her arms began trembling. The phone they held out in front of her fell weakly to her sides out of disbelief. </p><p>The villain flung herself towards her out of concern, pulling her into a hug. The test subject could slowly but surely feel her fingers digging into her skin, but she didn’t care. </p><p>“What are you doing here!? This is a top secret location. You could get hurt!”.</p><p>“I don’t know what’s going on either!”. Marinette had lost the struggle to keep calm and let herself go. “I just - I just went to bed and woke up here and - ”. </p><p>“Marinette, you’re being tricked! She’s not real!”. </p><p>“Plagg, claws out!”.</p><p>The two best friends were interrupted by a bright green flash in the periphery of her vision. Alya violently let go of Marinette’s arms, and readied herself for a confrontation with the second biggest name in Paris. </p><p>“Sorry, Marinette.”. Lady Wifi tried her best to be apologetic. “But for now, I’m Lady Wifi. If Ladybug’s not here, then I’ll let the cat out of the bag! Once and for all!”. </p><p>She winked at her best friend. “Heads up, I’m about to use some crazy magic. I’ll keep you safe, I promise!”. </p><p>“Alya - uh, Lady Wifi? Wait!”.</p><p>The tips of her bare white soles curled across the edge of the platform, and propelled her towards the transformed Adrien. One of the three screens on the back wall came online with Chat Noir’s sigil, and the ever-feared timer. </p><p>Lady Wifi delighted at the sight of the blonde superhero. Unsure how to approach his levitating target, he darted aimlessly across the platform like a crab with a baton. The villain decided she was tired of watching him squirm and decided to get down to business. </p><p>Her supple body dove sideways, nearly skimming the waste as she rapidly slid her finger across her phone’s screen. An array of graphic icons with a lock in the centre materialised in front of her. With the precision and symmetry of fighter jets in midair, they veered towards Chat Noir at mach speed.</p><p>“Woah, woah, woah!”. Her powers were barely short of losing to the boy in speed. He escaped within hair’s length of being hit, thanks to a flurry of somersaults his body coordinated on its own. </p><p>“Wow, Adrien. You’re worse at this than I - ”. </p><p>Plagg wasn’t so lucky. In the absence of Tikki, the blast shields were still deactivated. The lock icon had hit him square in the hull, freezing him mid-sentence. </p><p>“Oh.”. Adrien glanced briefly at the silent Plagg, pleasantly surprised. “So that’s what it does.”.</p><p>“Give it up, Chat Noir!”. Lady Wifi folded her arms in triumph. This Chat Noir was certainly the real deal, but more incompetent than she and all of Paris remembered. But she, a respectable journalist, had enough of missed opportunities. “Tell us who you really are, and maybe I’ll have some mercy!”. </p><p>“My name’s Adrien!”. He felt his cloth-wrapped ears and flexed his claws. “And I haven’t seen any animals here at all, unless you’re talking about this party costume...”. </p><p>“Wow, that was fast.”. She mumbled to herself, then resumed her demands. “Adrien, last name?”.</p><p>“I don’t know!”. Chat Noir pleaded. Lady Wifi was far from amused. “No, really! I don’t! A robot took my memories away!”.</p><p>“Hah!”. She spat. “You’ve got to think of something better than that! Not even the truth can fool Lady Wifi. Let’s see if you’re ready to confess after this!”. </p><p>“H-Hey, you have a phone!”. With shaky laughter, Chat Noir ducked through a portal to the other side of the chamber. </p><p>“We’re, uh, actually trapped here!”. He poked his head out to try and reason with her. A supervillain with a blaring wifi symbol and a magic phone spelled out weird, and also escape. If Papillon’s holograms could affect the real world, Adrien knew it was more than worth a shot. </p><p>“Can you let us use it!?”. </p><p>“Nice try! You’re not getting my Akuma that easily!”. </p><p>Having exhausted his only plan, Adrien kept on running.</p><p>“We have to find some way to get over there.”. Marinette was determined to help despite being trapped on the first platform. </p><p>“Well, there’s one way…”. Tikki motioned to the reverse cat-and-mouse chase unfolding in front of them.</p><p>“But I can’t.”. Marinette understood exactly what she meant. “She’s my best friend. And if I’m the ‘Ladybug’ she refers to - ”.</p><p>“You’re tricking her. I know how hard it is to have to choose, Marinette, but sometimes…”. </p><p>She also understood that at the farthest ends of the arena, someone was yearning to recover what anyone should have to treasure, like her moments with Alya. With every punch, kick and portal, he was breaking spacetime itself to search for it. Marinette resolved that it was time for her to make a sacrifice too.</p><p>She stepped up to the aerial faith plate with Tikki in her grasp. When Lady Wifi was in the vicinity, she screamed at the top of her lungs.</p><p>“Alya, help me!”. </p><p>The springs flipped her into the air. Marinette gulped. This was the reason why she never rode the tallest roller coaster in any amusement park. The chamber flew past her faster than she thought it would - in the meantime, she just prayed for her friend, the hologram, would hold its solid shape.</p><p>Lady Wifi ignored the strike of his baton with a swift dodge, and raced towards her through the portal.</p><p>“I’m coming, Marinette!”. </p><p>Her best friend couldn’t see that. Marinette’s eyes were shut tightly in hope that her bomb dive into the uninviting moat would be a painless one. She opened them to find herself safely in Alya’s arms, hovering bridal style towards the platform with the receptacle.</p><p>“What were you thinking, girl!?”. Her friend laughed away the shock. “I guess I’ll never know. You’re always so clumsy.”.</p><p>She poked the side of Tikki’s handlebars. To prevent herself from being weighed down too much, Marinette had tucked Tikki under her arm and held her gun with the other. “And what’s this?”. </p><p>“Oh, uh, this is Tikki.”. Marinette was careful about giving too much away. Lady Wifi was both her friend and one of Papillon’s tools, and she needed to find a balance between that. Alya wouldn’t drop her, but a villain wouldn’t hesitate to. “Kind of like, a robot? But not really.”.</p><p>“Hey, she looks a bit like the one over there. Near the wall.”. </p><p>“No! They’re completely different!”. The undercover superhero blurted out. “I mean, well, yes, but she doesn’t - ”.</p><p>“Relax.”. Alya snapped a photo of Tikki, who was pretending to be incapable of speech for her own good. Her optic tilted at an angle to look quizzically at the camera, and shrunk when hit by the flash. “Your new friend looks kinda cool. She’ll totally be a hit on my tech blogs.”. </p><p>Papillon’s hologram set her down on the platform.</p><p>“You’re hopeless.”. She sighed. “Stay where you are this time, alright - ”.</p><p>“...Spots on.”.</p><p>Alya watched in absolute horror. She had become a spectator of the fated broadcast that could fully realize her dream, her deepest calling. All this time, she had pledged to expose truth and lies alike as the vigilante Paris needed. And after all she had given to her cause, reaching out for the sensational with teeth and nails, the only outcome that would spare her from misery was to lie to herself.  </p><p>“N - No. No way. Marinette… Why?”. </p><p>Her phone clattered onto the ground, a hairline crack running across the screen. This was not a truth she could express within 140 characters. In fact, she couldn’t express it at all.</p><p>“When you said Ladybug… you were talking about this, right?”. There it was, the iconic yo-yo spinning in a brilliant circle from her former friend’s hands. Her words didn’t have the same gusto as the superhero’s, however. They were canned loosely, unable to stop remorse and uncertainty from leaking out. </p><p>“You, you look like her…  Why do you look just like her?”.</p><p>“I’m so sorry.”. Ladybug picked up the residence of her Akuma. Stepping on it, throwing it onto the ground or dropping it into the deadly waste - she could do any of those things, and it would be over. Still, there had to be another way; if this was a fight against good and evil, she was standing on the gray path. “But I'm trapped here, Alya! I don't know how long its been since I've seen everyone at school, even my mom and dad! I needed to get out, I - !”.</p><p>“You…”. Alya completely ignored her, and scrunched up her face in disgust. Papillon's influence made her a one-way mirror, unable to see beyond the emotions that fuelled her descent into what he considered 'evil'. “You used me. I wasn’t friends with Ladybug, but I was friends with you. And I thought that meant something to the both of us.”. </p><p>“Alya. Listen to me, okay?”. Ladybug hid the Akumatized object behind her back before Lady Wifi could pounce on it. “I don’t know what’s happened to you, but Papillon’s turned you into some sort of villain.”.</p><p>“Villain?". She stomped her foot in outrage. "I'm the villain!?”. </p><p>“But even with this whole ‘Ladybug’ thing, I'm still your friend!”. Marinette couldn’t bear the weight of her friend’s sudden hatred. It all came back to who it was that her best friend had seen in her; the stranger that held her name against her own will. </p><p>“I still care about you, Alya. Please, let’s just talk about it! I’ll explain everything!”.</p><p>The Ladybug mask embellishing her face made it hard for her to feel her tears, but she could hear them hit the ground. </p><p>“Who’s really evil, Marinette?”. </p><p>To Lady Wifi, they showed weakness; to the one destined to defeat her, the only tangible remnant of everything they cherished together. All in all, a symbol of the erratic mismatch between hero and villain, now light years away from a friendship that would’ve still been.</p><p>“When you and Chat Noir were jumping off buildings and stopping trains with your bare hands, you were thinking about Paris, not us!”. Lady Wifi, now equally frustrated, yelled back. “What if you were seriously hurt!? Would you just - just disappear as Ladybug, leaving everyone wondering where you've been for days? Months!? Years!?”.</p><p>“Marinette!”. Tikki interjected telepathically from behind the blast-proof shields. “This girl - Alya is Akumatized. Even if she was your best friend, she won’t listen to reason!”.</p><p>“Alya, I…”. However, Marinette accepted her scolding without protest. Though disconnected from it, she was still cornered by her disparaging tone out of a yearning to understand it in full. But it was true after all; there was a life she had been separated from upon her awakening in the relaxation chamber. Pangs of memories joined her uncontrollable sadness in splitting the sides of her head. The clear blue skies of a summer afternoon interrupted her visuals on the dull grey platforms. And there she was, leaping from rooftop to rooftop. Only this time, the suit felt grounded in some bare semblance of reality, concealing her full body in a bright opaque red. She felt safe between every ten, twenty metre drop. She knew it would keep her that way.</p><p>“I was… I was a superhero. I can’t believe it.”. </p><p>She had been expecting that epiphany from the beginning, which for some odd reason, made it all the more earth-shattering. Maybe it was Tikki’s connection to it, or the broken trust of her best friend. Maybe it was Adrien. At first, he was peering out of the portal behind them, unsure how to approach being in the right place at the wrong time.</p><p>Now, he was leaning next to it, chivalrously but impatiently signalling to the monitors every time she looked back at him out of indecision. As if to say that if she wasn’t going to do anything to the supposed Akuma, he might as well take it off her hands; in his own was a gathering mass of dark energy, presumably the vital Cataclysm power that he had learned to activate on his own.</p><p>“You still care about me, you say.”. Lady Wifi paused. The glowing bars on her bodysuit’s icon decreased to two, then to one in the absence of her mobile hotspot’s power. </p><p>“I might be your best friend, but it’s not just about that anymore. What kind of person, let alone superhero would leave everyone they care about in the dark?”. She fell to her knees and averted her gaze from Ladybug. Her energy was continuously being sapped, but she didn’t bother reaching for it. All along, the destined journalist's mission had been an empty one. “If they had faith in their friends - if you had faith in me, you’d at least tell me not to worry.”.</p><p>“Alya, I could never - ”. </p><p>Marinette was shocked that she would even consider such a thing. For now, nothing else mattered other than reassuring her best friend. If not for the Akumatized object in her hand, she would've pulled her in for another hug. “But… I do have faith in you! I could never ask for a better friend. You’ve hung out with me, listened to my weird ideas, you even protected me from Chloe!”.</p><p>Alya's rage subsided, and her thoughts became grounded by her friend's affirmation.</p><p>“You're giving me too much credit.".  She chuckled at the root of her sorrows, left untouched by the Akuma that plagued her. "You were there for me too, Marinette. Whether you were messing up with homework or flying over my house as freaking Ladybug, I just wanted to do the same.". </p><p>“Alya… I don’t know what to do.”.</p><p>She wasn’t aware of her body, slowly twisting itself towards Adrien who gave her an assenting nod. </p><p>“You… you could de-evilize me.”. Alya perked up like she did when she gave her friend advice. Villain or not, she was the same.</p><p>“De-evilize you?”. Marinette froze. If she did, she would disappear like the bubble man in the last chamber. </p><p>“But you’re Akumatized. How could you just want me to - ”.</p><p>“So I can forget about this. What else?”. Alya smiled through her own epiphany. It was far less grave than Ladybug’s, but they shared the same kind of longing. It was the first and only thing they had in common throughout their reunion. “You know, as Lady Wifi, I wanted to chase after the truth no matter what. But sometimes, the truth can hurt you or cause you to hurt other people.”.</p><p>“So, uh.”. She briefly glanced at the other superhero. “Sorry if this is super weird for you, Chat Noir, but we’re cool now! My phone’s with Marinette, so you guys can do your hero thing.”.</p><p>“Marinette was no longer sobbing. Enough things about the past had come to light to bring her a bittersweet sense of comfort. Not everything had been lifted from her shoulders, but enough had been taken off to give her just enough strength to take her first step forward. With Alya’s presence, she told herself that she didn’t lose memories, but had plenty to discover. And with the answers she would find eventually, change who she was in the present for the sake of those in her past. </p><p>That meant being a better friend, and a better Ladybug.</p><p>“Got it.”. Marinette tilted her head towards the monitor. She had four minutes left, and Chat Noir was on just half of that. To her best friend, she gave a soft but resolute smile. </p><p>“I’ll de-evilize you.” She assumed the authority of her alter ego. Ever since the beginning, the greatest thing her adventurous partner in crime wanted to see in her was the same confidence she had. </p><p>“You go, girl. Now everything’s gonna go back to - ”.</p><p>Lady Wifi let out a piercing scream. A surge of electricity caused her body to twist into itself in a series of grotesque holographic distortions. The jagged edges of a pink, glowing butterfly hovered over her tormented visage as her facial features rapidly vanished and reappeared, sending Marinette into a frenzy. Even Adrien held a hand to his mouth out of pure shock and disgust, both at his view and the influence causing it. </p><p>“De-evilize her! If you don’t, she’ll always be hurting!”. Tikki tried to shake her out of her agony. “Hurry! Papillon’s trying to disable my connection. I can’t talk with you for much longe - ”.</p><p>“Oh, I get it now. I get it now, Marinette.”.</p><p>Lady Wifi’s form stabilised as soon as the Ladybug Miraculous severed the link to its Guardian. Marinette shook violently upon seeing her best friend. A true supervillain renewed with an unfathomable, self-destructive hatred.</p><p>“It was Chat Noir, wasn’t it!?”. She bent forward in accusation, bitter and deranged. “He can sweep you off your feet - or even buildings, for all I care! And why would you want to hang out with some… some lame nerd pretending to be a journalist when you could hang out with a superhero!?”.</p><p>“No… No, this can’t be happening!”.</p><p>“You were bored. You needed Chat Noir, which means you didn’t need someone like me!”. She shrieked. “Is that it!?”.</p><p>Marinette’s nails dug into the sides of her head. “No! Alya, stop!”.</p><p>“You’re not just a liar. For real, you’re the worst friend I’ve ever had! Even worse than Chloe, who basically has no friends!”.</p><p>“Alya… Please, just stop this!”.</p><p>Her plea had inadvertently become a command when she threw the phone to Adrien. The pink cellphone grazed with the black orb suspended between his paws. Streaks of translucent energy, like those on the emancipation grid, met with the corner of the phone. It cracked and crumbled into a pile of dust. </p><p>Lady Wifi was revolted as she watched her Akuma fly free. </p><p>“You’re going to betray me again, Marinette!? I won’t forgive you for this!”.</p><p>Leaving with the signal on her chest were her powers and dignity. Lady Wifi did everything in her power to inch her way towards Ladybug. No matter the circumstances, she still had her bare hands which were out for blood.</p><p>“That’s fine.”. Marinette replied. “Even if you don’t, you’re still my best friend.”.</p><p>When she took it upon herself to change the way she might’ve been as a superhero, she pledged not to do what was right, but what was best. Alya’s emotions were volatile, permanently swayed by the Akuma. In the end, there was only one thing that could console Lady Wifi, and it was up to no one else but her to give her friend that peace. </p><p>When she swung her yo-yo to capture the escaping Akuma, the catharsis managed to bring a smile to her face, which she didn’t imagine could happen at all.</p><p>“No matter what happens, Alya.”.</p><p>The hologram sunk back to the ground. Her final expression was engraved in the heart of the young superhero: a distant and pitiful sorrow, tinted with a futile anger that couldn’t be directed at anything or anyone. She had condemned her only friend within the temporal confines of the chamber. Lady Wifi realised she was alone in more ways than one, and waited to be carried away by the polygons unravelling from her feet. </p><p>Marinette left through Adrien’s portal towards the other side of the platform, and released the purified white butterfly into the receptacle. The blast shields lifted and the lock on the doors released with a yellow tick. The process was done as it was meant to, without a single exchange between the subjects, until Adrien broke the silence in the chamberlock. </p><p>“Marinette.”.</p><p>She stepped away from the management rail, having just rigged Tikki to it. “Yeah?”.</p><p>“I, uh.”. He shuffled around as much as he could with an unfrozen, but strangely silent Plagg weighing down his portal gun. Anything to decipher the events of that chamber. “I don’t know.”.</p><p>“Huh?”.</p><p>“I don’t know if I should ask you what just happened, or if you’re okay, or - ”. </p><p>Marinette understood him perfectly, her laugh easing the awkward tension in the room. </p><p>“I’m perfectly fine, Adrien. Thanks to you, of course.”.</p><p>“Um, you’re welcome. For the - what’s it called - Cataclysm?”. Adrien paused. “But that’s not really what I meant.”.</p><p>“That’s okay. It’s not what I meant either.”. Marinette affirmed. She hid her surprise; her knee-jerk solution to the slightest misunderstandings would be an apology, or a furious attempt to change the topic and prevent any possible collision. The chamber showed her how breathtaking it was to just explain herself instead of holding back. Admittedly, she had made that mistake too many times in the past ten minutes.</p><p>“You helped me get out of my own head, Adrien.” She paced out her thoughts. “If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have locked the door behind me so no one else could get in.”.</p><p>Adrien was at a loss for words. If those that mattered most to him manipulated into gibbering lunatics by an omnipotent force, he would’ve become a lunatic himself. </p><p>“Wow. That’s one way to say it.”.</p><p>There really was an upside to everything; the emotional damage he would sustain for the next few chambers would be far less, to offset the feeling of having been kicked in the shoulder by a horse. </p><p>That just reminded him. The little pinpricks he felt on his right ring finger weren’t just his imagination. There must have been a device inside the ring that administered some sort of anaesthetic. He knew it was a powerful one from the festering sensation of intense dull pain, gradually returning in the same spot on his upper back. </p><p>“Adrien!”. Marinette saw him double over towards the lift’s glass walls, and rushed over. “What’s wrong?”.</p><p>“Blame Plagg.”. He replied, coughing. “Blame him… for keeping me alive, I guess.”. </p><p>“Uh, sure. Actually, stay still. I’ll help you up.”.</p><p>“Whoa, it’s alright. You don’t have to - !”.</p><p>With a mighty bellow ill-fitting to her voice, Marinette hoisted Adrien’s arm over her shoulder. She took extra care to avoid touching the dark, crisp areas of his orange tracksuit and the recovering burns concealed underneath. </p><p>“Thanks.”. Adrien replied as she sat him down against the inner wall of the lift on the other shoulder. “You really didn’t have to, though. With the weight of this gun and everything, I must've been pretty heavy.”.</p><p>“Don’t worry about it.”. Marinette looked back at him while returning to her own lift. “Can’t be heavier than when I found out I was a superhero, am I right?”. </p><p>She didn’t say that with any particular emotion, which worried Adrien. It caused his own morbid speculations about his absent memories to return from the last chamberlock. To make matters worse, the introduction of that girl, Alya, had brought so much more into the fray that he thought she initially did. Visualising her face and recalling her voice caused his mind, nearly delirious from the pain, to recall moments it didn’t recognise. </p><p>“Yeah. Speaking of which, we need to talk about that.”.</p><p>The doors screeched shut and they were lowered to the next chamber.</p>
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